In 2018, Australia, Japan and the United States announced that they will jointly invest in infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific, in an attempt to counter China’s efforts to court influence in the region. This venture utilizes the resources of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and the US International Development Finance Corporation. For their first project, the three countries cooperated with the government of Palau to construct an undersea fiber optic cable, valued at US$30 million, which will ensure reliable, secure digital connectivity in Palau. Despite this enthusiastic start, the trilateral infrastructure investment programme has yet to make any considerable progress in the past few years. This slow progress is due to various reasons, notably the lack of government funding, low level of private investment, high scoping cost, geographical obstacles, and negotiating problems with host communities. How can the three countries overcome these challenges and better coordinate on regional infrastructure to address development needs in the Indo-Pacific?

Speakers:
Dr Kristi Govella, German Marshall Fund of the United States
Hayley Channer, Perth USAsia Center
Masafumi Ishi, Former Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia

Video Production by Minh Phuong Vu

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