The New Zealand Government says it will quadruple overseas aid to help poorer countries deal with climate change. The allocation has been increased to $1.3 billion. The Government says the increase in overseas aid means that New Zealand will now be paying its fair share towards global climate funding. It is part of a global Read more
At the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru, New Zealand announced aid packages to assist Pacific Island Nations. Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern announced a $9 million package to make it easier for Pacific students to access education. Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced $10 million over three years to enhance free-to-air Pasifika TV service. Education “This initiative will Read more
Samoans could be brought into Christchurch to aid the city’s rebuild following top-level talks between the Samoan and New Zealand Prime Ministers. At a press conference on Thursday New Zealand Prime Minster, John Key, said he and Samoan Prime minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi had discussed the possibility of expanding the existing Recognised Seasonal Employer Read more
For the past two financial years millions in NZ aid to Pacific has been spent on Air NZ flights. The Cook Islands has spent half the $3 million of New Zealand aid money it receives for tourism annually on its underwrite arrangement with Air New Zealand.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says a total of $3.8 million in aid money went towards the Samoan and Tongan Governments’ providing a temporary underwrite to the airline between 2009 and 2011.
The director of Victoria University’s Development Studies programme, John Overton, said aid development could be better spent. “I’m definitely uneasy about New Zealand Aid money being used to subsidize in effect the commercial operations of a New Zealand company in this case Air New Zealand, which would seem to be counter to any of the stated objectives of the New Zealand Aid programme either now or especially in the past.”
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Burma is one of the most tightly-controlled countries in the world. Although elections last year replaced the military regime with a civilian one, the country still regularly ranks among the worst for human rights and corruption. Despite this, a group of New Zealanders has set up a successful microfinance charity providing small loans to the Read more
Most Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand partnerships were maintained in 2010 , despite a difficult financial year. The Catholic aid and development agency, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand released its Annual Report this week. Director Mike Smith said it was extremely gratifying to have strong donor support during a recession, and in a year where government funding Read more