Extra $15m for aid budget

3.30pm

New Zealand's international aid budget will increase $15 million to $260m in the coming year, Aid Minister Marian Hobbs said today.

Included in that was $122m for Pacific assistance, including $16m to rebuild the Solomon Islands' education system, improve governance and support economic reform.

Vanuatu's assistance is up $500,000 to $6.36m for new rural development, law and justice initiatives and education.

"As a Pacific country, we are best positioned to focus on the needs of our own region," Ms Hobbs said.

"Programmes that strengthen governance, economic development and co-operation amongst all Pacific countries encourage security in our region. In today's fragile world, that is important to all of us."

Other highlights include an extra $1m for non-governmental organisations, taking their government funding to $11m, and an extra $2.2m for NZAID's trade and development programme to reduce poverty.

- NZPA