N.Z. aid cut by half?

Press, 3 November 1981, Page 19

N.Z. aid cut by half?

New Zealand’s overseas aid has fallen to half the level of that given in 1975, says the Anglican Provincial World Development Committee. A recently released report by the committee on the aid drop, entitled “Overseas Aid . . . Cut by Half?” has been sent to all members of Parliament. The report says that official development assistance in 1975 was $55 million or 0.52 per cent of gross national product. Now New Zealand aid is down to 0.26 per cent of G.N.P., $62.74 million, the amount having risen because of “inflation,” .the report says.

New Zealand is ranked eleventh among the 17 aiddonor countries in the Development Assistance Com-

mittee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Reductions in aid affected the African and Asian countries as most New Zealand aid went to the South Pacific. according to the report. The. Anglican committee believes that New Zealand could achieve by 1987 the United Nations’ aid target of 0.7 per cent of G.N.P. It says that even though economic conditions are tight here many countries are much worse off. Overseas aid should be given according to need, not used as a tool of foreign policy or as an opportunity to develop an export market. The committee says New Zealanders should make it clear to the Government that they care about the amount of aid sent overseas.