Groundbreaking Ceremony for the project for the Disaster Reconstruction of Teouma Bridge(19 April 2024)
2024/4/19
On 19 April, Ambassador OKUDA, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Teouma Bridge Disaster Reconstruction Project in the presence of Prime Minister Hon. Charlotte Salwai and other dignitaries.
The project will replace the Teouma Bridge, including the extension of the bridge, and rehabilitate the Teouma River and the access road in the vicinity of the bridge.
The bridge is a vital transport link in the daily lives of the people of Efate Island, The people of Vanuatu have certainly been waiting for this day as the bridge has been rebuilt many times after the natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.
The project will replace the Teouma Bridge, including the extension of the bridge, and rehabilitate the Teouma River and the access road in the vicinity of the bridge.
The bridge is a vital transport link in the daily lives of the people of Efate Island, The people of Vanuatu have certainly been waiting for this day as the bridge has been rebuilt many times after the natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.
In his speech, Ambassador Okuda said, “Japan, as a country to be also prone to natural disasters, recognizes Vanuatu’s vulnerability and the need to take countermeasures to many natural disasters including cyclones, earthquakes and volcanoes. Japan salutes the courage and resilience of the people of Vanuatu as they had continued to face this adversity.” and “We believe that the reconstruction of the bridge is crucial to ensuring safe access for all and fostering economic and social growth and demonstrates the true and enduring partnership between the peoples of our two countries.” he mentioned.
Prime Minister Hon. Salwai expressed his gratitude to Japan and said, "The reconstruction of the bridge will improve connectivity infrastructure, and provide safer, faster and all-weather access to rural areas for service delivery. This will stimulate economic growth by enabling rural activities to reach markets and workplaces in urban areas, as well as to participate in the tourism industry".
The civil engineering technology and know-how used in this project has been developed over many years by the Japanese company in charge of the project and will greatly contribute to improving the living environment of the people of Vanuatu. The Government of Japan will continue to provide assistance in this important area of infrastructure development for Vanuatu.