Vanuatu Secures $12.6 Million Grant for Urban Disaster Shelters

The project, which also draws on a $5.6 million Green Climate Fund grant and $700,000 from the Vanuatu government, targets the Agathis, Freshwind, and Nambatri neighborhoods. By designing these facilities for daily use, officials hope to ensure the buildings remain well-maintained and integrated into local life rather than sitting idle between emergencies. This strategy includes a long-term assessment plan to identify service gaps and guide future infrastructure investments across the capital area.

Jyotsana Varma, regional director of ADB’s Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office, noted that Vanuatu faces increasingly frequent and severe disasters, necessitating this sustained approach to urban planning. The program builds on earlier resilience efforts initiated in 2020, which previously introduced coastal protection measures. By 2031, the expanded project aims to directly benefit 23,400 residents, half of whom are women, through improved access to essential, climate-resilient services.