Aid reduction to Africa feared

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 10

Aid reduction to Africa feared

PA Wellington The Advisory. Committee on External Aid and Development is worried about a possible reduction of New Zealand’s presence, in Africa at a time of 'criticism by black Africans.

In its annual report for 1980-1981, the Governmentappointed committee says that the uncertain future of New Zealand's aid to Africa was discussed throughout the year.

In 1978-79 it was $570,000; in 1979-80 it was $550,000; and in- 1980-81 it was $730,000. The expected level s for 1981-82 was below $500,000. No new projects were negoti-

ated to replace those completed or wound up and emphasis was moved to scholarships and training awards and to ad hoc grants, the report said. “The committee feared this would reduce New Zealand’s presence on the African continent to vanishing point just at a time when New Zealand was being criticised by black Africans for hosting a tour by a white South African sports team,” the report said. On humanitarian and political grounds the committee recommended that aid to Africa be held at least to the 1980-81 level, that successful projects and training programmes be continued, and that when funds allowed the New Zealand presence should be increased by technical experts assigned to projects in the field.

In the bilateral aid programme, allocations to the Pacific rose by 68 per cent. The trend, in the last five years, worried committee members who questioned whether small Pacific countries had the same need for

aid as drought stricken Asian or African countries. The committee commended the Government’s allocation of $300,000 to Vanuatu as a generous gesture to a newly independent State, but was less enthusiastic about increasing aid to the Cook Islands beyond the almost $7 million given the previous year.

While acknowledging New Zealand’s special constitutional and historical relationship with the Cooks, the committee said that aid to the small “but modestly comfortable recipient”, should be kept in balance “with New Zealand’s other commitments and needs of others.”

In the 1980-81 financial year the Government allocated $61,750,000 for official development assistance, although final expenditure was $62,308,000. This was 12.3 per cent above the last year’s allocation, although relative to the domestic rate of inflation it represented a decline in real value of about 6 per cent.