The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, has hailed the integration of the semi-autonomous New Zealand aid agency into the ministry a success.
The move, which shifted the focus away from poverty alleviation, was widely criticised by aid experts but is being replicated by the new Australian government.
While announcing aid cuts, the Australian government said it would integrate AUSAid into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to align foreign and development policies.
Mr McCully says New Zealand's approach has worked well.
"The decisions that the New Zealand government made after the Key government was appointed, I think, have been highly successful and we are very, very pleased to see diplomatic and development arms work much more closely in unison, particularly within our own region, the Pacific."
The New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully,
