New Caledonia

Local Economic Benefit Program planning and development in New Caledonia. From June 2006 through September 2007, SCDI provided pre-construction-phase consulting to a mega-project in the North Province of New Caledonia. Once complete, the project’s construction is expected to represent an investment in excess of US$3 billion. Such a large investment in a relatively small island territory, especially in its sparsely populated, less developed North Province, will undoubtedly result in significant increased economic activity and social change. However, like all large-scale mining projects, without a proactive program specifically designed and implemented to generate local economic benefits and positive social development, it is not at all assured that the local population will benefit significantly from the project’s economic impacts. SCDI was engaged by to advise and assist the company’s staff and management to plan and implement a local Economic Benefits Program tailored to the local situation and especially focused on benefiting the indigenous population.

SCDI completed its consulting and staff training assignment in September 2007 with the developed a comprehensive plan for a Sustainable Community Development Program. This plan recommended establishing an independent community foundation to be supported jointly by the Project and the regional government with primary focus on rural socio-economic development that distributes economic benefits to the indigenous communities. In that way, the Project will be better able to “push” economic opportunities to nearby rural communities rather than “pull” people from their communities to directly benefit from the Project.