New Zealand launches Pacific development strategy

WELLINGTON, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government's new Pacific Development Strategy will ensure a focused and effective approach to aid work in the region, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Tuesday.

In launching the strategy at Parliament on Tuesday, Peters said New Zealand will spend more than 2 billion NZ dollars (1.5 billion U.S. dollars) over eight years in official development assistance to the Pacific, assuming aid levels remain the same.

"The Pacific remains New Zealand's main development focus, accounting for 70 percent of our bilateral aid, and over 50 percent of our total aid," Peters said.

"The Pacific Strategy acknowledges our place in the world as a Pacific nation and outlines the future shape of our assistance to our Pacific neighbors. It sets out the areas where New Zealand's contribution can be most effective," he added.

"This allows us to make a sustainable impact on improving health and education in the Pacific; to address infrastructure gaps and promote economic growth, and to improve governance and leadership," he said.

The Pacific Development Strategy will be implemented by NZAID, with support from other government agencies.