The OPEC Fund for International Development has approved a US$20 million loan to Saint Lucia to help finance Section 1 of the Sir Julian R. Hunte Highway Project, a major infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity between Castries and the island’s northwestern communities.
The agreement was signed on October 14, 2025, during the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C. The upgraded highway will benefit approximately 95,000 residents, easing traffic congestion and improving access to schools, healthcare facilities, workplaces, and trade routes, while also bolstering the tourism sector.
“This is a truly transformative project,” said OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa. “By improving connectivity between Castries and the northwestern communities of Saint Lucia, the highway will directly enhance people’s daily lives. It will strengthen trade, boost tourism, and create jobs – generating a virtuous cycle of opportunity and growth.”
The OPEC Fund’s support complements a parallel loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which is financing another section of the highway. Together, both projects aim to strengthen Saint Lucia’s transport network, stimulate local businesses, and support long-term economic growth.
This latest investment builds on a decades-long partnership between the OPEC Fund and Saint Lucia. To date, the organization has approved six sovereign operations totaling nearly US$60 million, financing initiatives in transportation, education, and water supply across the island.
