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On 3 April Rachel Kyte the Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) visited NZAID to take part in a roundtable discussion and meet with staff.
The IFC is the private sector development arm of the World Bank group. It seeks to foster sustainable economic growth by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments.
Discussion focused on the outcomes IFC has achieved in aviation and telecommunications in the Pacific, the challenges facing the region as a result of the current economic downturn, and the role IFC advisory services could play in helping emerging economies come out the other side of the recession in good shape.
The main message Rachel Kyte delivered during her time at NZAID was ‘do not forget reform in the eye of the storm.’
Developing Pacific economies need to be improving financial infrastructure bankruptcy and insolvency resolution schemes, and corporate governance now to ensure they are better positioned when the cycle turns.
For more information contact nadine.koszler@nzaid.govt.nz
 - Peter Adams, NZAID Executive Director and H.E. Chheing Yanara, Secretary General of the CRDB.
In early April NZAID hosted a visit to New Zealand by H.E. Chheing Yanara, Secretary General of the Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board (CRDB).
Mr Yanara met with staff and NZAID’s Executive Director Peter Adams to discuss the current and future direction of development cooperation between Cambodia and NZ and to improve our mutual understanding of approach to aid effectiveness.
During his 15 years with CRDB, Mr Yanara has been one of the most important policy makers behind the dialogue mechanisms with development partners. He was able to provide an interesting an important insight into aid effectiveness from a development partners perspective, and the challenges Cambodia has had to overcome to make aid more effective.
Mr Yanara also delivered an address entitled Overcoming adversity- Cambodia on the road to development to the April meeting of the Asia Forum in Wellington.
For more information contact sokha.mey@nzaid.govt.nz
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), one of NZAID’s top ten multilateral partners, joined a virtual charity initiative by the popular social networking site Facebook that will help raise money to provide shelter for displaced people in Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
To celebrate reaching 200 million active users, Facebook is carrying a feature under which users can help any of 16 non-profit organisations, including UNHCR, by purchasing virtual "charity gifts."
Those opting to help UNHCR and its "Gimme Shelter" campaign can buy a virtual UNHCR tent for US$10, or a "Gimme Shelter" gift token for US$5. UNHCR Senior External Relations Officer Claudia Gonzalez-Gisiger explains that people's purchases would translate into real shelter aid for refugees and internally displaced people.
"For example, if 20 friends buy a virtual tent, they will raise enough funds for a refugee family to live in a real tent – giving them dignity and security," she said. "That's the power of online social networking."
New Zealand is a strong supporter of UNHCR’s work, providing NZ$6 million of core funding in 2008 and NZ$1.25 million to UNHCR's humanitarian appeals.
For more information about NZAID’s work with UNHCR contact stephenie.knight@nzaid.govt.nz
The NZAID Ship to Shore Transport Project (TSSTP) in Tuvalu is now in action with the appointment of BECA as the Managing Services Contractor (MSC).
BECA is an Auckland based firm with a wide range of maritime and coastal engineering development projects in the Pacific. As the appointed MSC, BECA will support the government of Tuvalu’s procurement of goods or services for the Ship to Shore project on behalf of NZAID. A large part of BECA’s role will be to build the capability of the Tuvaluan agencies involved in the project.
NZAID funded the design of the five-year, $6 million Ship to Shore Transport project over 2006-2007 and signed a partnership arrangement in June 2008 with the Government of Tuvalu for implementing the project. With a core focus on enhancing Tuvalu’s transport infrastructure, the project aims to improve the safety and efficiency of transferring passengers and goods between ship and shore in the eight outer islands, while also recognising social and environmental issues.
The BECA team will work closely with Tuvalu’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Rural Development, Public Works and Marine Departments and the Project Taskforce to implement the TSSTP over the next five years to improve the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of the transport services to the outer islands.
For more information contact karen.soanes@nzaid.govt.nz
You are encouraged to contact NZAID if you suspect the loss or misuse of NZAID funds, resources, or assets due to either fraud or corruption. A new fraud email ‘hotline’ has been set up at NZAID so suspected cases of fraud can be reported in confidence.
NZAID can be contacted by email fraud@nzaid.govt.nz or you can write to the agency by addressing the envelope to the Risk and Assurance Manager, NZAID, 163-175 Featherston Street, Private Bag 18-901 Wellington 5045, New Zealand. Correspondence should be marked “In Confidence”. You do not have to give your name and NZAID will treat your information as confidential.
All cases of fraud, or suspected fraud, will be investigated and, where substantiated, disciplinary action and/or referral to the police could follow. NZAID will also act to recover lost money or property if fraud is committed.
Find out about how the current economic crisis is affecting developing countries, read about skills training in the Pacific, and learn about NZAID’s scholarships programme and students. You'll find all this and much more in issue 14 of Currents – available now! The magazine is an interesting and informative way to find out more about how New Zealand is working with developing countries to help strengthen nations and increase livelihoods. To receive a free copy of the magazine please contact nadine.koszler@nzaid.govt.nz with your mailing details or visit the NZAID website to download a copy.
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NewZAID updates you in brief on key issues and events on the NZAID agenda. Please click on the useful links included in this newsletter to explore issues in greater depth.
 - Representatives from WIBDI prepare organic misiluki bananas for export to New Zealand.
The second trial of Samoan organic misiluki (‘lady finger’) banana exports to New Zealand has been successfully completed. A previous attempt by NZAID-funded Samoan organisation Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI) failed to meet New Zealand biosecurity requirements.
With support from Biosecurity New Zealand, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture, and New Zealander Chris Morrison (formerly of Phoenix Organics), WIBDI has conducted two export trials of organic misiluki bananas. The first trial shipment by boat failed to meet biosecurity requirements but the second trial, sent by air, was a success. Four boxes of misiluki bananas were treated with different organic methods including simple washing. All boxes passed inspection. Biosecurity New Zealand has advised that in the future, thorough washing may be sufficient treatment for the bananas to pass biosecurity standards.
Currently all banana imports are sprayed on arrival to New Zealand. Because of this there is an unmet demand for spray-free organic bananas. Exporting organic misiluki banana to New Zealand provides a vast opportunity for Samoan farmers as it gives market access for a product that has almost no local economic value in Samoa.
WIBDI is a small not-for-profit NGO that aims to provide income generation opportunities for rural and vulnerable people in Samoa. Projects initiated by the organisation aim to reduce poverty amongst local people by encouraging them to generate income and participate in creating a sustainable village economy.
WIBDI now plans to monitor the market’s response to Samoan misiluki with a view to identifying new opportunities and expanding the trade. WIBDI hopes that in the near future misiluki bananas will be available for purchase at every organics store in New Zealand.
For more information email carissa.palliser@nzaid.govt.nz
 - Local builders add the roof to the Palm Project soap factory in Maskelynes, Vanuatu.
The Palm Project, with support from the New Zealand Children’s Health and Education Trust (NZCHET) and NZAID, has alleviated a significant health problem and boosted the economic sustainability of remote villages in Vanuatu. The Palm Project began as a women’s collective and has since grown into a successful commercial venture benefiting the wider community.
The project is based in Maskelynes, a remote group of islands in Vanuatu that is populated by approximately 12,000 people. Scabies and lice posed a considerable health and hygiene problem as the local population could not afford treatment to remediate the situation.
In 2007, the non-government organisation (NGO) NZCHET and New Zealand soap developer Sandra Craig held their first workshop and trained a women’s collective in Vanuatu to use virgin organic coconut oil to make soap. The collective found that adding tea tree oil gave the soap anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities, which is ideal for treating scabies and lice. The 36 member collective produced 5,000 cakes of the organic anti-bacterial soap for distribution to families who could not afford to purchase the product.
Research by NZCHET and the Palm Project found that there was demand for a locally produced soap from hotels and resorts in Vila. Plans were developed to expand the initiative in to a commercial venture.
Considerable public consultation was undertaken to ensure support for the project was received from the male dominated council of the area. With financial assistance from the NZAID KOHA-PICD fund, NZCHET and the Palm Project have recently completed the construction a of a soap factory in the Peskarus Village of Meskelynes. The soap has attracted significant interest from local hotels and resorts and the Palm Project hopes to secure contracts with these businesses soon.
The economic benefits of the project stem further than the sale of the organic soaps. Builders and labourers from the village were employed to build the factory and the project also purchases virgin coconut oil directly from local villages, ensuring a fair price is paid.
NZCHET and the Palm Project aim to use the profits from the soap sales to address community development issues in the area and reduce poverty levels. Extensive village discussions have taken place to decide how the profits should be used to best improve community livelihoods, health and education. Irrespective of the commercial success of the Palm Project, the soap will remain free for those families who can not afford to purchase it.
Plans are now in place to extend the range of products made by the Palm Project to meet the additional needs of local hotels and resorts. With assistance from Ms Craig, the Palm Project range will include other products such as shampoo, conditioner and moisturisers in the near future.
For more information contact mike.bird@nzaid.govt.nz
 - Dugout canoes are essential to maintain fisheries livelihoods in the Solomon Islands.
To mark the two-year anniversary of the 2 April 2007 tsunami the New Zealand and Australian governments have reaffirmed their commitment to the ongoing recovery and rebuilding of tsunami-affected communities in the Solomon Islands.
The 2007 earthquake and tsunami caused widespread damage to houses and infrastructure in Western and Choiseul Provinces.
Two years on, New Zealand and Australia continue to work in partnership with NGOs including World Vision, Save the Children, and Oxfam, and the Solomon Islands Government to help rebuild affected communities. The reconstruction effort includes not only homes, schools and other essential infrastructure, but also livelihoods in the areas impacted by the tsunami.
The Australian High Commissioner, Peter Hooton, said the second anniversary of the tsunami was a time to pause to remember the 52 people who lost their lives, and to take stock of progress so far.
“Many communities were devastated by the April 2007 tsunami, and these wounds will take a long time to heal,” Mr Hooton said.
“We recognise particularly that people in some communities are still living in less than adequate shelters. We hope that, in partnership with Solomon Islands Government, we will see significant progress this year [2009] in helping these families to rebuild their lives.”
New Zealand’s NZ$500,000 immediate tsunami recovery package for Solomon Islands included the delivery of emergency supplies, shelter, water and sanitation facilities, and funding for NGOs. Additional funding was provided for the rebuilding of houses and schools and programmes to improve the livelihoods of rural fishermen and women.
NZAID has been working with World Vision and more than 4,000 families to rebuild houses in Western Province. Around 60 percent of these families have received building materials, milling fuel and tools, and 18 percent have finished building a strong frame for their new house as a result of training provided by World Vision.
The Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development is in the process of rebuilding 80 schools as part of their ‘build back better’ practice. This is largely funded by a NZ$5 million contribution from NZAID, which is also funding UNICEF to manage this extensive project.
New Zealand assistance has helped rejuvenate fisheries livelihoods by providing over 990 dugout canoes to communities in Simbo, Vella Lavella, Shortlands and the Choiseul Islands, after their canoes were washed away in the tsunami.
The New Zealand High Commissioner in the Solomon Islands, Deborah Panckhurst, said many communities should be congratulated for their hard work and commitment to rebuilding.
“New Zealand is delighted to be able to help these communities to rebuild their lives, through the provision of shelter and also the means to re-establish their fishing livelihoods through the provision of fishing canoes,” she said.
For more information about NZAID’s work in the Solomon Islands contact kathleen.pearce@nzaid.govt.nz
 - A child stands outside the inpatient ward at Pangaeati Health Centre, PNG.
Two major health initiatives in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have received funding from the New Zealand Government in recent weeks.
A NZ$13 million funding arrangement with the PNG National Department of Health for the government-led Health Sector Improvement Programme (HSIP) was signed last month. NZAID will support the PNG Government over the next three years to reform its health system, to become more efficient and accountable and deliver better health services. The project is a continuation of NZAID support to PNG's health sector, which dates from 2001.
The HSIP is a joint programme between the government of PNG and its development partners, including NZAID, AusAID, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other United Nations organisations. Its main focus is to improve child immunisation; reduce PNG's high rates of maternal mortality, HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; and increase access to health services for the urban poor. Helping the PNG Government increase its capacity to deliver health services will reduce the reliance on New Zealand and other donor countries to cover gaps in the health service.
A second funding arrangement was signed between NZAID and WHO on 13 April for a project to improve midwifery training in PNG. The aim of the NZ$670,000 project is to reduce maternal mortality, and improve maternal and neo-natal health and well-being. The project will enhance the technical and educational capacity of PNG's four midwifery schools by implementing a revised midwifery curriculum and improved teaching quality. Graduates of the four schools will be able to provide skilled care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.
Poor health of PNG’s citizens is a significant barrier to the country’s economic development. Support for the health sector is a key strand in NZAID’s development programmes in PNG, and an important element in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
For more information about NZAID's work in PNG contact peter.shackleton@nzaid.govt.nz
The New Zealand Government, in partnership with the Government of Tuvalu and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), commenced a major long-term initiative in Tuvalu last month. The Supporting Local Governance for Outer Island Development Phase II Project (SLG II) will support economic and social development in the outer islands of Tuvalu.
Tuvalu is a micro-state, made up of nine low-lying atolls and coral islands, with a total land area of 26 square kilometres. Tuvalu’s geographic and economic realities present significant challenges for local governance and development on the country’s outer islands.
Over the past three years, phase one of the Supporting Local Governance for Outer Island Development project has been working to strengthen the management and planning abilities of the Government of Tuvalu and Falekaupule and Kaupule (outer island councils) to support economic and social development on the outer islands. Phase one of the project also sought to build the capacity of Tuvalu’s Ministry of Home and Rural Development.
Phase two, launched last month, will build on the success of phase one and the progress made through recent local government reforms. The SLG II project will concentrate on strengthening Tuvalu’s local government capability. To achieve this outcome the project aims to provide training, resources and support to improve institutional and human capability at a local and national level; strengthen partnerships between the outer islands, central government, development partners and civil society; and increase community participation and gender equality within local government environment.
The New Zealand Government is the major donor of the project, contributing US$599,000 over three years. UNDP will oversee project execution by the Tuvaluan Government.
For more information contact karen.soanes@nzaid.govt.nz
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