Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite, met with local leaders and development partners in Vanuatu last week to discuss shared priorities, including improving clean energy access for remote and off-grid communities.
At a special event co-hosted with Vanuatu’s Honourable Prime Minister, Jotham Napat, the Ministers recognised the critical role of programs such as REnew Pacific, Australia’s $75 million program to deliver off-grid renewable energy to rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, including Vanuatu – as well as its pilot, the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships.
They extended thanks to the REnew Pacific delivery partners supporting the Australian Government’s climate and energy investments across the region, spanning renewable energy, health, education, transport and more, including:
- Respond Global’s HELPR-1 vessel is installing and upgrading solar energy systems in all six provinces, improving healthcare access for over 80,000 people while building local skills and long-term sustainability.
- GGGI Pacific is leading a two-year solar-powered water project across eight communities in Santo, Paama, Tanna and Malekula, enabling greater water security and powering 24 schools and health centres for more than 4,000 people.
It was also fantastic to see the delegation meet with the incredible pilot partners from the BPP’s Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships, launched in 2024, including:
- A women-led energy access project delivered by ActionAid Australia, Women I TokTok Tugeta (WITT) Network, PowerWells and the Australian Government to empower women to access and control clean, affordable energy in Lawital, Tanna Island.
- A circular economy initiative tackling solar e-waste in Vanuatu, led by UNSW, Vanuatu Disability Promotion Advocacy Association, Vanuatu Institute of Technology, The University of the South Pacific, the Vanuatu Department of Energy and the Australian Government.
Together, these programs are powering remote Pacific and Timor-Leste communities, like these ones in Vanuatu, with clean energy solutions that support inclusion, climate resilience and sustainable development.
Check out more photos of the event below:
