Munda Airport Upgrade, Solomon Islands

ADB supported improvements at Munda Airport enhance regional connectivity, expand passenger, and freight capacity, and incorporate resilient design features to withstand extreme weather events. The project highlights how infrastructure investments can stimulate economic growth, improve accessibility, and strengthen climate resilience in island nations.

Munda Airport, Solomon Islands

Climate and Disaster Resilient Irrigation and Drainage Project, Tajikistan

In Yovon District, SMEC is modernising an irrigation system exposed to climate and earthquake hazards, using nature-based soil stabilisation and improved irrigation practices. The project enhances climate resilience, water productivity, and farmer livelihoods, while building local management capacity through digital tools and training. It demonstrates how targeted interventions can strengthen agricultural resilience and support sustainable development.

Climate and Disaster Resilient Irrigation and Drainage Project, Tajikistan

Rewa River Water Supply Scheme, Fiji

Island nations like Fiji face unique water security and climate challenges. By improving clean water supply for over 260 communities, SMEC has delivered efficient water management while mitigating climate-related risks, strengthening both health outcomes and community resilience.

Rewa River Water Treatment Plant, Fiji

Metropolitan Sanitation Management Investment Project (MSMIP), Indonesia

Urban growth and inadequate sanitation infrastructure threaten public health. SMEC delivered approximately 173 km of piped networks and 35,300 house connections, improving sanitation for an estimated 1 million people, and demonstrating how integrated planning can address urbanisation and environmental challenges simultaneously.

Sanitation facilities in Makassar, Indonesia

South Tarawa Sanitation Improvement Project, Kiribati

Water-borne diseases are a persistent challenge in low-lying atoll nations such as Kiribati. By enhancing sanitation infrastructure through a joint ADB-DFAT initiative, SMEC helped reduce disease incidence by  approximately 30%, providing a practical solution to critical public health challenges.

Sanitation facilities in South Tarawa, Kiribati

Urgent Bridges Construction Project for Rural Development (UBCPRD) Phase II, Philippines

SMEC is leading a consortium to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for 25 priority bridge projects across 11 regions in the Philippines. Funded by a PHP694.44 million loan from the ADB, the study aims to enhance inter-regional connectivity and promote inclusive economic growth. The initiative is part of the government’s Build Better More program and is expected to improve the reliability and safety of rural infrastructure, benefiting underserved communities.

Urgent Bridges Construction Project for Rural Development (UBCPRD) Phase II, Philippines

Power Distribution Modernisation Project, Timor-Leste

Energy inefficiencies and unreliable power supply constrain economic growth. SMEC’s introduction of smart meters and upgraded distribution systems in Timor-Leste reduces commercial losses by up to 15%, improving energy reliability and enabling low-carbon, sustainable power delivery.

Climate-Adaptive Water Resources Management Project, Uzbekistan

In the Aral Sea Basin, rising temperatures and water scarcity threaten agriculture and livelihoods. SMEC’s expertise in modernising irrigation systems and strengthening institutional capacity aims to increase water productivity by 20%, delivering climate-resilient solutions that sustain agriculture and community resilience.

These projects demonstrate SMEC’s commitment to delivering infrastructure that is resilient, sustainable, and future-ready. By leveraging our deep expertise across transport, water, energy, and urban systems, we translate ADB’s strategic priorities into practical solutions that address climate risk, support local communications, and enhance economic growth. Our approach combines technical excellence, innovative design, and capacity building initiatives across the full project lifecycle, ensuring projects create long-term positive impact for people, governments, and the environment. SMEC continues to deliver as a trusted partner in shaping APAC’s sustainable infrastructure future.

Looking ahead to the future

The next decade presents significant opportunities for climate-resilient, sustainable and digitally-enabled infrastructure across APAC. According to the ADB Strategy 2030, the region must prioritise investments that:

• Reduce carbon emissions and enhance climate resilience.
• Integrate advanced digital technologies for smarter infrastructure.
• Promote inclusive economic growth and community engagement.
• Strengthen regional connectivity through integrated transport and trade corridors.

ADB estimates that APAC requires USD $2.2 trillion annually in infrastructure investment through to 2030 to sustain growth, modernise transport, renewable energy and water management and address urbanisation challenges (ADB 2017).

These trends emphasise the importance of aligning expertise, innovation, and delivery capabilities with ADB’s evolving priorities. Partnerships that integrate technical excellence with sustainable outcomes support regional development and take a leadership role in global infrastructure transformation.

Meet the author

Corin Mitchell
Executive Director, IFI Group

With 28 years of international development experience across Asia, the Pacific, and sub-Saharan Africa, including two decades living and working on the continent, Corin has led DFAT and FCDO-funded programs in roles spanning project management, advisory, and program direction. As Executive Director of the IFI Group at SJ Group, Corin is driving international development across the Infrastructure and Energy business line. Having worked alongside donors, governments, investors, and enterprises across diverse sectors, he brings extensive expertise in governance, strategy, and program delivery, and is invested in unlocking potential across the Asia Pacific region.