The critical need for urban planning around Port Vila's BRI projects

Abstract

This chapter describes how China’s international development aid programme interfaces with other aid-funded road infrastructure programmes in one South Pacific setting, the Republic of Vanuatu. I argue that the Chinese foreign aid programme, along with other infrastructure donors, is currently conducting de facto urban development in a Pacific capital city without the guidance of an urban strategic plan – an unnecessary omission given the capacity available in the capital, Port Vila. I further argue that emerging civil-society movements like the Elang Etas Community Association provide a good entry point for community inclusion in urban and infrastructure planning.