30 August 2002 Media Statement

New Zealand partnership initiatives launched

A $1.6 million programme of new partnership initiatives with the Pacific region was launched today in Johannesburg by Associate Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Marian Hobbs as part of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

"A major focus of the summit is the creation of partnerships to support sustainable development," Marian Hobbs said. "Partnerships are at the heart of all New Zealand’s development assistance, in particular partnerships that are built from the community upwards. These new initiatives will build on addressing key issues for the Pacific such as energy, water sanitation and disaster management."

The partnerships have been developed with Pacific government and regional organisations based on needs identified in the WSSD national assessments.

Of the 10 initiatives being worked on by the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) five are regional umbrella initiatives on issues such as energy and the remainder on important regional issues such as HIV/AIDS and zero waste. Several initiatives will involve a number of donors including the United Nations and Australia. It is hoped that business, local government and NGOs will also be able to participate in these initiatives.

"I believe strongly that sustainable development in our region will not be achieved without working together on these key issues," Marian Hobbs said.

The new initiatives have been allocated $1.6 million in the current financial year, with the provision for funding in future budgets. A list of the initiatives is attached.

Partnerships list

Umbrella initiatives

- Pacific islands energy for sustainable development – particular interest in the growth of the use of renewables. NZ business links, particularly in sharing expertise in designing appropriate energy solutions for rural communities and sharing new developments in technology for small scale applications.
- Pacific strategies for water, sanitation and hygiene – assistance with implementation of the Regional Action Plan for Water Management, with particular emphasis on sharing NZ experience with integrated water catchment management.
- Pacific island adaptation initiative – assistance in implementation of the Pacific Island Framework for Climate Change, Climate Variability and Sea Level Rise.
- Initiative to develop capacities in SIDS (Small Island Developing States) to manage vulnerability and build resilience, particularly to disasters – builds on NZ funding to SOPAC (South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission) in the development of the Environmental Vulnerability Index. Areas of interest include:
... Capacity building utilizing NZ experience in disaster planning, preparedness and risk assessment at the local level
... Climate analysis and weather forecasting – possible extension and expansion of NIWA work in the Pacific.

- Mainstreaming conservation of biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge in the Pacific islands – interest in building on work already undertaken in developing model law for the protection of traditional knowledge and genetic resources, particularly access to and benefit sharing from these resources. Links with Maori interests.

Global initiative
- Cooperative initiative on invasive alien species on islands – an IUCN/NZAID initiative facilitating cooperation and capacity building in key areas of invasive alien species management on islands. Utilises NZ expertise via the Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN.

NZAID initiatives
- Community level sustainable livelihoods in the Pacific – support for mainstreaming approaches to community-based sustainable development. In partnership with WWF and others pilot an integrated approach in one Pacific country. May become a component of the recently released draft umbrella initiative "Planning for sustainable community lifestyles in the Pacific".
- Asia-Pacific health (HIV/AIDS) – partner in Australian initiative in the Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum in conjunction with assistance to grass roots strategy and delivery mechanisms.
- Pacific education -- closer links between providers of Pacific education in both the Pacific islands and NZ to develop educational materials that promote sustainable development, local language and culture. A proposal by Pacific women in the NZ Ministry of Education.
- Zero waste – investigation of the extension of appropriate components of the successful NZ Zero Waste Programme to the Pacific. Possible NZBCSD and local government partners. May become a component of the recently released draft Pacific Islands Waste Management Initiative.

ENDS

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