Second Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project

active

SIRAP2 was approved by the Board on June 1, 2022, with US$89.21 million financing. The project aims to improve the climate resilience and safety of the Recipient’s road and aviation sectors through four components: (i) Climate Resilience and Safety Investments in the Aviation Sector, (ii) Climate Resilience and Safety Investments in the Road Sector, (iii) Institutional Strengthening and Project Management, and (iv) Contingent Emergency Response. The proposed SIRAP2 AF is for scale-up investments in Suavanao Airfield, ground support equipment at Honiara and Munda Airports, rehabilitation and improvements to Malaita Roads, Technical Assistance for road and aviation sectors, and implementation support, as well as cost overruns for existing SIRAP2 activities.Component 1: Climate Resilience and Safety Investments in the Aviation Sector finances the following activities: (a) Subcomponent 1.1: Honiara Airport Infrastructure Investments, which finances overlay of the existing asphalt paved runway and installation of airfield ground lighting; supply and replacement of perimeter fence; design and construction of a rescue fire service vehicle station; design and construction of an air traffic control tower; design and construction of a new aviation complex building; installation of an automatic weather observation station; provision of crash alarms; provision of standby generators; and equipment support. This subcomponent will also finance additional equipment support under the proposed AF and commissioning of CRV through a restructuring, which is being processed with the proposed AF.(b) Subcomponent 1.2: Munda Airport Infrastructure Investments, which finances (i) the design and construction of an air traffic control tower, and (ii) provision of crash alarms. This subcomponent will also finance additional equipment support under the proposed AF.(c) Subcomponent 1.3: Santa Cruz Airfield Infrastructure Investments, which finances runway pavement works at Santa Cruz (Lata) Airfield in Temotu Province.(d) Subcomponent 1.4: Modernization of Air Navigation Systems which will finance (i) Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) grand stations, and (ii) alternative energy source to be provided in Makira-Ulawa and Temotu Provinces.(e) Subcomponent 1.5: Regional Airport Maintenance to maintain critical mechanical and electrical assets.(f) Subcomponent 1.6: Suavanao Airfield Infrastructure Investments (new subcomponent), which will finance runway pavement works at Suavanao Airfield in Isabel Province under the proposed AF.Activities under Component 1 are located on Guadalcanal Island (Honiara Airport), New Georgia Island (Munda Airport), Makira-Ulawa Province, Temotu Province (Santa Cruz Airfield), and Isabel Province (Suavanao Airfield).Component 2: Climate Resilience and Safety Investments in the Road Sector finances the following activities with climate resilience and road safety improvements:(a) Subcomponent 2.1: Malaita Bridges Improvement, which finances the replacement of four bridges—Kolofe1 and Kolofe2 Bridges on North Road, and Su’u Harbor and Bira Bridges on South Road. (b) Subcomponent 2.2: Noro Roads Improvement, which finances climate resilience and safety improvements to 10 km of Noro Roads in Western Province.(c) Subcomponent 2.3: Malaita Roads Improvement (new subcomponent), which will finance (i) routine maintenance and regravelling (including upgrading key vulnerable spots to enhance climate resilience and improving road safety) on 21 km of East Road between Baratoro and Atori, and (ii) sealing about 12 km of the gravel road between Auki Gwaunaru’u Airfield Junction and Kwaisuliniu Road Junction on North Road under the proposed AF.Activities under Component 2 are located on Malaita Island (Malaita Bridges and Roads), and New Georgia Island (Noro Roads). Component 3: Institutional Strengthening and Project Management finances the following activities:(a) Subcomponent 3.1. Technical Assistance activities include: (i) a consulting service for design and supervision of building and civil works under Subcomponents 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and Component 2; (ii) preparation of a national airports development plan; (iii) technical support and training to MCA and Solomon Airlines; (iv) climate resilient road asset management improvement; (v) road safety audits; (vi) road safety capacity improvement, and (vii) activities to address the identified gender gap within MCA and expansion of the GBV training and awareness raising activities. This subcomponent will also finance additional design and supervision consultancy for the scale-up activities under Subcomponents 1.6 and 2.3, for additional technical assistance to Solomon Airlines, training, and for new technical support and training to CAASI and SIACL under the proposed AF.(b) Subcomponent 3.2. Project Implementation Support include PST contracted staff and operating costs associated with implementation of the project, and yearly audits of the project accounts that SIG will submit to the World Bank. This subcomponent will also finance additional project implementation support under the proposed AF.Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response. This zero-dollar component is designed to provide swift response in the event of an Eligible Crisis or Emergency, by enabling SIG to request the World Bank to reallocate project funds to support emergency response and reconstruction. The proposed AF will fully be funded by IDA, with an estimated total cost of $51.20 million, and no other donor investments are envisaged.