The President of the Republic of Marshall Islands, Christopher Loeak, has officially opened the Coastal Causeway Project in Woja Island, Ailinglaplap, as part of the country's efforts to build resilience to climate change.
The project has involved constructing a rock causeway combined with soft engineering measures, such as tree planting, to strengthen the vulnerable and narrow road link between the two parts of Woja Island.
The project is part of the European Union-supported regional Global Climate Change Alliance: Pacific Small Island States initiative, implemented in partnership with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Government of the Republic of Marshall Islands.
Until now, the communities living on the two different parts of Woja Island had to schedule their daily activities, such as getting to school or to the health clinic, around the state of the tide. At high tide, they had to make their way through what was often waist deep water to get to the other side of the island.
"This is a good example of the European Union supporting governments and communities to implement their own priorities in partnership with regional organizations,” the European Union Ambassador for the Pacific, Andrew Jacobs, said.
More information on this project is available here.