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The New Zealand Aid Programme activities in PNG are based on the overall aid programme mandate and the specific development challenges in PNG, and are guided by a 10-year joint strategy (2008-2018) agreed with the Government of Papua New Guinea.
The strategy aims to improve economic development opportunities for rural people and improve social services in education and health.
Gender equality and the empowerment of women are incorporated throughout these activities.
PNG also benefits directly from the New Zealand Aid Programme’s regional programmes that are focused on law and justice, governance, environment, health, education and trade/economy; and through the New Zealand Aid Programme's support to regional agencies such as the University of the South Pacific, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Programme.
In 2009/10 the value of these non-bilateral sources is estimated to total over NZ$7 million.
Improving rural economic development
New Zealand provides support to strengthen PNG's agricultural sector.
This includes support for:
• Fresh Produce Development Agency, which links farmers and consumers of fresh fruit and vegetables
• Bris Kanda, which focuses on building commercially productive partnerships between rural communities and service providers in Morobe province;
• A government extension programme to help rural farmers improve their agricultural and business skills.
New Zealand is exploring the potential for a fresh produce wholesale market in Port Moresby, due to the increased demand for fresh fruit and vegetables in Port Moresby and from workers involved in the PNG liquefied natural gas pipeline project.
There is scope to see wider social benefits from a market, particularly for women.
In the future New Zealand will look to support other market infrastructure developments in PNG.
Improving social services
New Zealand has a long-term commitment to the Health Sector Improvement Programme (HSIP), a joint approach between the PNG government and a number of development partners to improve delivery of health services.
Support is provided for a number of targeted initiatives in community and reproductive health, and HIV prevention.
One of these is the East Sepik Women and Children's Health Project which is managed by Save the Children.
The project works with over 1,000 volunteers in 800 villages, and a range of health providers to improve standards of health in the remote parts of East Sepik.
The New Zealand Aid Programme supports a large scale household survey that will gain a more accurate picture of HIV prevalence and the behavioural risk factors that are behind the epidemic.
The initiative is important for PNG's response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
New Zealand is supporting the development of a sector-wide approach to improve access to basic primary education in PNG.
It is designed to get every primary school-aged child attending school.
The New Zealand Aid Programme currently offers around 250 scholarships per year for study in New Zealand and PNG.
New Zealand will work more closely with Australia to improve the effectiveness of the scholarships provided to PNG citizens.
Bougainville
Over the past 10 years, New Zealand has supported Bougainville in its reconstruction, including strengthening of law and justice systems, and governance.
Through the Bougainville Community Policing Project, the New Zealand Police, funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme, provide training and support to the Bougainville Police Service and Community Auxiliary Police, who help communities deal with law and order problems in consultation with village courts and traditional leaders.
The Bougainville Governance Implementation Fund supports the improvement of government administration and service delivery.
It is a joint initiative between the PNG Government, the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Australia, and New Zealand.
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