The Asian Development Bank has approved a US$31 million loan to expand and improve the road network in Papua New Guinea.
Road construction on Papua New Guinea's Highlands Highway. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
The project includes finance for a feasibility study and detailed engineering designs for three transport projects along the northern region's road corridor.
It will also go towards and continue improvements to the Highlands network in central PNG.
The ADB said the funding was the foundation for implementing the government's new Connect PNG strategy and would support the construction of key roads for the next 10 to 15 years.
The northern region road corridor starts at the Indonesian-PNG border and runs almost 1,500 kilometres, connecting the ports of Vanimo, Wewak, Madang, and Lae with the Highlands highway and southern region corridor.