Govt’s aid to Africa $3M in year—P.M.

Press, 30 July 1985, Page 6

Govt’s aid to Africa $3M in year—P.M.

PA Wellington New Zealand aid to Africa changed from nothing to more than. $3 million worth in a year, the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said at the week-end. Most foreign aid will continue to be sent to the South Pacific, but the African tragedy evoked the compassion of the Government as well as the private citizen, he told the Volunteer Service Abroad annual conference in Wellington.

The $3 million for Africa was channelled through multi-national agencies already well established in Africa and which, with proven records, were well placed to administer the funds at short notice. The Government had set up an African relief and rehabilitation programme with resources of $2 million. Half of that will go to the United Nations co-ordinat-ing mechanism—the office of emergency operations in Africa.

The other half was distributed between established international agencies, with the aim of striking a balance between relief and development. A small $200,000 allocation has been made for bilateral aid involving modest technical assistance to those African countries Mr Lange visited in April. The Prime Minister welcomed the news that the V.S.A. director, Mr David Stone will visit Africa next month to assess the need and options for volunteers to work in southern Africa. The goal for financing overseas aid is 0.7 per cent of gross national product. A low of 0.28 per cent was reached in 1983, according to Mr Lange. After devaluation the Labour Government allocated an extra amount but in the event the rate of economic growth was such that the actual performance for 1984 dropped to 0.27 per cent. Since then an additional $8.3 million (a 10 per cent increase) has been provided. If the target of 0.7 per cent were voted this year it would require something in the order of an extra $2OO million more than the $95 million already voted.