KEY POINTS:
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says New Zealanders have a "clear expectation" that Pacific Island nations will take up the development challenge and do the work needed to lift their citizens out of poverty.
He announced yesterday a Pacific Development Strategy that will deliver $2 billion in aid over eight years.
"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.
"No one is saying this is going to be easy, nor that New Zealand has all the answers."
Mr Peters said there was a need to encourage policies and practices which fostered growth and better standards of living.
"It also means preventing corruption, poor governance and conflict which erode development gains."
Mr Peters said economic growth around the region was failing to keep up with population growth.
"Youth unemployment is a growing problem, and basic poverty indicators are far too high," he said.
"The Pacific is at risk of falling victim to all the wasted potential and social economic chaos that poverty brings."
Documents issued with Mr Peters' announcement said NZAID would prioritise assistance. At the top of the list for allocations in 2008/09 are Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
- NZPA
