Abstract:
Oceania is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions. Its largely developing economy is hindered by its relatively small market size and difficult access, as the region is largely marine. Thus, transport has been a traditional challenge that needs to be addressed in enhancing opportunities for economic growth. Australia, the largest state in the region, considers that continuous improvement to region’s economic growth is a shared interest, including its closest neighbor, Papua New Guinea’s. The situation in Papua New Guinea is largely similar – a developing economy with a challenging transport system due to geographical and maintenance constraints. To address this, Australia engaged with Papua New Guinea to conduct a Transport Sector Support Program initiative, with specific goals and objectives in the aim of improving Papua New Guinea’s transport sector. Throughout the program, Australia is involved with funding physical road works, providing capacity building measures, and providing upgrades to existing and new infrastructure. The author specifically examines Australia’s efforts, the motivation and interest behind its initiatives, as well as the recognition and results of those initiatives. Upon evaluation, Australia’s efforts can be seen as an extension of its foreign policy objectives towards Papua New Guinea, which is conducted through Australia’s foreign aid program. The efforts seem remarkable, but this research found that despite the contribution, certain areas are still displaying minimum impact. Thus, this research concludes that Australia’s efforts through the program have been significant and impactful enough, although further cooperation and engagements are still needed to optimize the program’s outcomes.
