MANILA, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Timor-Leste have signed a 75-million-U.S.-dollar loan and a 3-million-dollar grant to rehabilitate a vital segment of the country's national road network connecting the eastern region to the southern coast, the bank said on Monday.

In a statement, the ADB said the financing will boost road connectivity and trade in the Southeast Asian country.

The project will empower vulnerable villages along the road corridor to co-design and implement small-scale, locally driven climate adaptation measures to reduce flood and hazard risks, while strengthening the capacity of communities and government agencies to build and maintain resilient infrastructure.

The ADB added that the project will restore bridges and mitigate flood disruptions through innovative engineering and nature-based solutions, such as improved drainage, elevated embankments, hazard-adapted asphalt, and bioengineered slopes, enhancing road safety, reliability, and regional connectivity. ■