USAID Awards Aceh West Coast Highway Project Contract
to South Korean-Indonesian Construction Partners

 June 21, 2007

Bahasa Indonesia

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today awarded the prime construction contract for completion of the Aceh West Coast Highway project to a partnership between a South Korean firm and an Indonesian firm in a press conference held at the Raba River Bridge outside Banda Aceh.

The partnership of Ssangyong Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. from South Korea and P.T. Hutama Karya from Indonesia will receive the US$108 million contract for the construction and rehabilitation of approximately 115 kilometers of road extending from Banda Aceh to Calang.  The project is scheduled to be completed by February 2010.

“With this award, the Banda Aceh to Calang road project can now complete its journey from conceptualization to finalization,” said USAID Mission Director William M. Frej. “This project – conceived during the dark days immediately following the 2004 earthquake and tsunami – is now well on its way to facilitating what is undoubtedly a brilliant future for this province.”

The construction award is a major milestone in the completion of the West Coast Highway – the US$254 million signature project of the U.S. Government’s US$409 million commitment to the overall recovery and reconstruction process in Aceh. As construction activities expand along the route, employment opportunities are developing for local villagers. USAID contractors are building local capacity through training in construction, project management and supervision.

“With the announcement of the selected contractor, the Banda Aceh to Calang road project enters a new phase,” said Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf at the press conference. “As a result, I can state without hesitation that we are literally ready for rebuilding the road – on the road to rebuilding Aceh.”

Mr. Kim Seung Joon, Executive Vice President of Ssangyong Engineering, accepted the award for the partnership. “We look forward to working with PT. Hutama Karya and USAID on this project and are pleased to be involved in the ongoing tsunami reconstruction of Aceh Province ,” he said.

The road project is supported by the design and construction management company of Parsons Global Services Inc., a U.S.-based firm, and prime construction contractor P.T. Wijaya Karya (WIKA).

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