About half of Kiribati's 103,000 people live in its tiny capital, the narrow atoll of South Tarawa. Communities here are connected by just one main road, which is unpaved and susceptible to wear from motorists and the elements.
The inception of the $48.2 million Kiribati Road Rehabilitation Project was marked by a traditional ground breaking ceremony at the historic site of Eita village. Paving the 35-kilometre road will provide better access to health clinics, schools and markets for up to 60,000 people.
The project is funded by AusAID, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in partnership with the Government of Kiribati.
'This is an important milestone of achievement, a green light for the go ahead of the actual construction of the road in the upcoming days,' Hon Kirabuke Teiaua, Minister for Public Works and Utilities, said at the ceremony.
'Without donor support, it will make it very difficult for the government of Kiribati to fulfill what is required to produce a better road network in the near future and for the next generations of Kiribati.'
The project will provide employment opportunities for I-Kiribati people, including 16 Australia-Pacific Technical College graduates.
'These graduates come with very good skills, speak good English and have the attitude of wanting to learn,' project manager Mark Liersch said.
'I congratulate the efforts of both the Australian and Kiribati governments for their support in the vocational education and training sector in Kiribati.'
The work will involve community consultation, surveying, and tree clearing and trimming.
Rehabilitation of the road will start when the materials arrive in October and will take about 690 days to complete.