The Autonomous Bougainville Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to strengthen the working relationship to further international development.
The MoU signed recently in Port Moresby will pave the way for more efficient and effective collaborations between UNOPS and the Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Environment and Conservation of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and expand opportunities for UNOPS to provide project management, procurement and infrastructure development services in the region.
The ABG Minister Amanda Masono expressed gratitude for this pathway.
“This partnership with UNOPs opens opportunities to deliver a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable future for Bougainville,” Masono said.
“Our Department and Ministry is in a strategic position of influence in leading Bougainville transition to the Green Economy, simply because of the broad areas of mandated functions and responsibilities that fall within our affairs,” she added.
The United Nations Office for Project Services Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Sanjay Mathur said UNOPS has been active in the region since 2019 by supporting the review of the electoral roll during the 2019 independence referendum.
UNOPS is working with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to implement sustainable off-grid energy solutions for remote communities in Buka; as part of the project, UNOPS is assessing the possibility of transitioning Buka to hybrid energy solutions (solar PV, wind and other renewable energy sources), and offering practical steps to improve energy transmission and distribution infrastructure needs.
“Through this agreement, UNOPS can play a stronger role in supporting resilient infrastructure development for the people of Bougainville,” Mathur said.
“We look forward to working closely with the Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Environment and Conservation to better foster sustainable development and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” he added.
