OPEC Fund and Saint Lucia sign loan agreement for landmark highway project

The OPEC Fund is providing a US$20 million loan to Saint Lucia to help finance the Sir Julian R. Hunte Highway Project - Section 1. The loan agreement was signed on October 14, 2025, during the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Washington DC.

The project will upgrade and expand a key stretch of the highway connecting the capital Castries with communities in the northwest of the island. Once completed, the new road is expected to benefit around 95,000 residents by easing traffic, improving access to schools, healthcare and workplaces, and supporting trade and tourism.

“This is a truly transformative project,” said President 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 financing complements a parallel loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which is supporting another section of the same highway. Together, the initiatives will improve mobility, stimulate local business and strengthen Saint Lucia’s infrastructure network.

The new operation builds on a long-standing partnership between the OPEC Fund and Saint Lucia. To date, the organization has approved six sovereign operations totaling close to US$60 million, backing projects in transport, education and water supply.