A USD$80 million grant to finance transformational infrastructure upgrades on Tongatapu including the construction of the Fanga'uta Lagoon Bridge, has been approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through its Tonga SECURE Proiect, which will be the largest development partner-financed project undertaken in Tonga’s history.

Tongatapu is Tonga’s largest and most populated island, which is highly vulnerable to coastal flooding, cyclones, and tsunamis.

Under the Tonga Sustainable Economic Corridors and Urban Resilience Project (SECURE), a 720-meter bridge over the Fangaʻuta Lagoon will be built along with 2.1 kilometers of approach roads, to reduce traffic congestion, boost connectivity, and improve emergency evacuation in and around the capital Nuku’alofa.

ADB reported that it will also upgrade 7.3 kilometers of drainage and install measures to improve water security and reduce flooding.

In Manila on 9 December, the Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office, Aaron Batten said, “The construction of the Fangaʻuta Lagoon Bridge will be transformational for the people on the north and south sides of the lagoon, providing major improvements in connectivity and reduced traffic congestion."

“Upgrades to approach roads and drainage systems will also ensure communities can access faster and safer emergency evacuation routes from low-lying coastal areas during flooding and other disasters," she noted.

The project is led by ADB and will be delivered in partnership with the World Bank under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework, an innovative cofinancing model that simplifies the way both institutions can jointly design and implement projects.

With ADB and the World Bank expected to provide a combined total of $120 million in grant financing, SECURE will be the largest development partner-financed project undertaken in Tonga’s history.

The Government of Tonga is providing $25 million in counterpart financing.

The contractor for the project is New Zealand company, McConnell Dowell.

ADB’s USD$80 million contribution is financed through its Asian Development Fund (ADF), which provides grants to the poorest and most vulnerable countries in Asia and the Pacific.