27 May 2016

New Zealand increases aid to Pacific

7:05 pm on 27 May 2016

The New Zealand government has maintained its commitment to increasing its Pacific development assistance with an overall increase of $US15.3 million in aid to the region in this year's budget.

The New Zealand Aid Programme sets its overall budget every three years with the latest triennium, covering 2015 -2018, to see an increase of $US148.4 million to $US1.15 billion.

59 percent of this is allocated to the Pacific.

Compared to the last three year period, which ended in 2014, the Pacific will see an overall increase of $US72.9 million dollars to $US535.5m by 2018.

New Zealand's aid focuses on 12 investment priorities, emphasising private-sector led growth that supports sustainable development.

The priorities are renewable energy, agriculture, information communications technology, fisheries, tourism, trade and labour mobility, economic governance, law and justice, health, education and strengthening resilience and responding to humanitarian emergencies.

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