Help the Pacific instead of the whole world

“New Zealand’s aid programme should stop scattering tiny bits of aid across the world and should more tightly focus its money on the Pacific,” says Dr Jane Silloway Smith, author of Maxim Institute’s new policy paper on foreign aid.

“New Zealand is close to the Pacific and could make a tangible difference in this region. One of the biggest problems with aid globally is when it is fragmented. It is not ideal for countries to be getting aid from lots of different places, because strong relationships between donors and recipients are needed for development to be most effective, and there are only so many countries and agencies that a poor country can have such relationships with. New Zealand should spcialise on our neighbours in the Pacific.”

“The government has already indicated its intention to do this, and the OECD also recommend it,” says Smith.

“New Zealand can also help the Pacific by looking to expand our seasonal workers scheme (Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme) into other industries to let more temporary migrants from the Pacific in to New Zealand,” according to Smith. “The point of aid isn’t giving money. The point of aid is development, and that programme is a huge help for poor communities in the Pacific. It is good for New Zealand and it is good for our neighbours.”

Focusing New Zealand’s aid on the Pacific, and extending the seasonal worker’s scheme are two of the key recommendations in Maxim Institute’s new policy paper “Being Better Neighbours: Improving New Zealand’s contribution to foreign aid and internationaldevelopment.”