In February 2026, representatives from across the Pacific—including officers from the Cook Islands National Environment Service (NES) Matthew Rima and Mangaia Energy Paaora Arokapiti—took part in the Manaaki New Zealand Infrastructure Project Management Training held in Wellington.
The programme was delivered by Victoria University of Wellington, with support from MFAT, Education New Zealand, and Wellington Uni-Professional. The training brought together “Education New Zealand, and Wellington Uni-Professional. The training brought together participants from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tokelau, and the Cook Islands.
The focus of the programme was to improve skills in planning, procurement, and governance, helping Pacific countries strengthen the way infrastructure projects are designed, assessed, and delivered. Participants explored how projects move from an idea to a completed build, and why early planning is essential for avoiding delays, cost blowouts, and environmental risks.
Key learning areas included project lifecycles, legal frameworks, traditional land ownership protocols, scheduling tools, budgeting, and risk management. The group spent time working with practical tools such as MS Project, Gantt charts, and structured risk assessments to understand how large infrastructure projects stay on track. Industry site visits to major construction sites—including the Auckland Airport Domestic Jet Terminal expansion—gave participants real-world insight into contractor coordination, compliance monitoring, and the challenges of working in live operational environments.
The training reinforced a systems-based way of thinking. Participants were encouraged to see infrastructure as part of a wider network involving people, communities, the environment, and long-term resilience. This approach is especially important for Small Island Developing States, where a single infrastructure failure can affect entire communities.
Key Objectives & Outcomes:
- Improved understanding of how infrastructure projects are planned, budgeted, and managed.
- Stronger ability to review proposals using clear standards and structured tools.
- Better awareness of risks and how early planning can prevent delays and environmental impacts.
- Increased confidence in working with contractors, engineers, and decision-makers.
- Strengthened collaboration between Pacific agencies, including Cook Islands NES and Mangaia Energy.
Overall, the training helped build regional capacity and supported a shared goal across the Pacific: delivering infrastructure that is safer, better planned, culturally respectful, and resilient to the future challenges our islands face.”
Overall, the training helped build regional capacity and supported a shared goal across the Pacific: delivering infrastructure that is safer, better planned, culturally respectful, and resilient to the future challenges our islands face.
