Making Last-Mile Connectivity Sustainable: Inaugural EMH Launch in Vanuatu
- May 11
- 3 min read
Updated: May 12
The launch of Vanuatu’s first Economic Micro‑Hub (EMH), Emua Vila, took place from 8 to 9 April 2026 with strong community participation. The North Efate Area Council premises in Emua village was bustling with workshops, local vendors and digital onboarding as residents engaged directly with the EMH’s services and tools for the first time.
Notably, local and national leaders showed up– not just to cut a ribbon, but to signal why productive connectivity matters. With the EMH, connectivity is transformed into practical outcomes, such as access to services, income opportunities, and local economic participation.
Advancing Decentralised Service Delivery
The EMH received strong support from the Government of Vanuatu, as it aligns closely with Vanuatu’s decentralisation agenda, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Internal Affairs aimed at delivering government and essential services at the area council level. During the official launch ceremony, Hon. Andrew Napuat, Minister of Internal Affairs highlighted how the EMH helps overcome a primary challenge to decentralisation:
“One of the main challenges of reaching people in the rural areas is internet accessibility to government services, especially for national ID and civil registrations. In view of this, the Ministry of Internal Affairs decided to focus on creating regional hubs within the provinces. That is a vision we are still implementing, and what we are doing here today is a fulfilment of that policy.”
With the recent rollout of Vanuatu’s new civil registry and identity management system (RV5), Area Administrators can carry out civil registrations locally. The EMH thus functions as enabling infrastructure for decentralised governance by providing the secure connectivity and shared facilities required for these systems to operate effectively outside the capital without duplicating infrastructure across ministries.
Enabling Productive and Safe Online Participation
In his address as Guest of Honour, Hon. Jotham Napat, Prime Minister of Vanuatu highlighted the EMH’s role in bringing services and markets to closer to communities, reducing the cost and burden of travel, and strengthening local businesses – particularly for women and youth.
Within the EMH, community members were able to:
Use government and essential services
Utilise shared co‑working and event spaces
Upgrade their digital skills and knowledge on online safety
Apply for business mentorship under The CEO Project
Access digital payments and market access
The benefits of the EMH were further emphasised by speakers in the pre-launch capacity building workshops, who shared concrete examples of how communities could leverage the EMH to grow home-based businesses, connect to markets, and participate more fully in the formal economy. Invited speakers included representatives from key national and regional institutions such as the Vanuatu Tourism Office, Ministry of Trade and Commerce, and the Mama’s Association, which supports micro and small business owners in Vanuatu, as well as Fiji’s Online Safety Commission.
Additionally, through Welchman Keen’s Training of Trainers programme, area‑level administrators have built the confidence to support decentralised service delivery responsibly and securely. By building skills, confidence and local ownership early, the EMH creates the conditions for sustained use.
This is not a one‑off intervention. Ongoing training, accessible digital resources, and administrator support are built into the EMH model, ensuring usage and trust grows overtime. Together, these elements enable productive and safe online participation – whether accessing services locally, developing skills, or supporting small enterprises – without leaving their area. By directly linking connectivity to economic and social participation, the EMH creates local value that supports ongoing operations and strengthens community ownership.
Partners with Aligned Goals and Incentives
Sustainable last-mile connectivity depends on active partners contributing real capabilities – from connectivity and technology to digital literacy, online safety and business support. In his address, Prime Minister Napat also called on the Emua community and surrounding areas to protect and actively use the EMH, reinforcing that its success depends on everyday use and local ownership.
This message was echoed by EMH Ecosystem Partners, who expressed their appreciation for being part of the initiative and their confidence in the Emua community’s ability to make the hub their own. Rather than short-term engagement, EMH partners are contributing their core areas of expertise – from connectivity and technology to digital literacy, online safety and business enablement – creating a model built for continuity.
The EMH demonstrates a simple principle: connectivity becomes sustainable when people use it, valuable when it supports livelihoods, and scalable when all stakeholders are invested in its success.
For Media and Partnership Enquiries
Casey Le, Marketing Manager
Welchman Keen