NZAID Towards MCA-Vanuatu

NZAID has applied due diligence in evaluating MCA systems of accounting and procurement. The MCA's financial operations have undergone risk assessment by the office of the inspector General for USAID responsible for the Millennium Challenge Corporation(MCC), as well as semi-annual independant external audits.

The New Zealand company, Downer EDI Works, won the international open tender to upgrade the roads, in accordance with procurement guidelines agreed between the GoV and MCC, and has already begun work on the upgrade of the Efate Ring Road. The upgrade of the 57km Santo East Coast Road is due in may of 2009.

The primary ratinale for NZAID's contribution to the Transport Infrastructure Project is to support economic growth and improve rural livelihoods. Projections made by the United States Government Accountability Ofiice during their programmatic rview of the vanuatu Compact conservatively estimate that the combined impact of the works should produce an increase in per capita income of US$49 (3.7%) in 2010 and US$61 (4.6%) in 2015. They estimate the number of beneficiaries on Santo of between 10.3 and 33.4% and for the Efate between 10.8 and 20.6%.

AUSAID Towards MCA-Vanuatu

The Australian Parlimentary Secretary for International Developmment Assistance, Bob McMullan MP, confirmed that Australia and Vanuatu are developing a new partnership to improve transport infrastructure maintenance in Vanuatu.
Austrlia and Vanuatu aim to improve the reliability and affordability of transportation services throughout the country.
Australia support will continue to build on, and complement the 500 million vatu the Government of Vanuatu will contribute to mainatenance and rehabiliation each year through the budget. Australia is also looking at opportunities to enter into a longterm partnership with the Government of Vanuatu to support essential transport infrastructure.

The Vanuatu Government is deligted to see that the program will greatly compliment the MCC program.
The program intends to use local contractors and create job opportunities.
The Government is very excited about the potential for a long-term partnership with Australia.