A new US$24 million project will strengthen government delivery of essential infrastructure and services for communities and support economic development across all nine provinces in Solomon Islands.
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a new project in Solomon Islands focused on boosting economic development in rural communities. The Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience Project also aims to improve citizen participation in provincial planning, and boost climate change and disaster risk resilience at provincial and community levels.
Solomon Islands faces major gaps in infrastructure and essential services, with access to clean water, roads, basic education and health services low, especially in rural communities, which account for over 75 per cent of the country’s population. Only 16 percent of rural households have access to sanitation and less than five per cent of those living on the outer islands have access to electricity, for example. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened these challenges, with demand for services and food security in rural areas increasing.