International aid
Australia’s international aid program aims to help people in developing countries lift themselves out of poverty. The program also responds when disaster strikes.
The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) administers the aid program, working with developing countries to identify and address needs. Australia’s primary focus is the Asia Pacific region, which has the world’s highest concentration of people living in poverty – more than 700 million people in the region survive on less than $2 per day. Australia also provides aid to developing countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Australia is one of the 189 member states of the United Nations which have pledged to work towards the Millennium Development Goals. The Goals provide a clear vision for halving extreme poverty by 2015. The Goals set milestones so that Australia’s aid program remains focused on, and achieves, a real reduction in poverty.
Towards this end, the Australian Government has committed to increasing Australia’s official development assistance (ODA) to 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) by 2015-16.
Australiais providing aid to help address extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV, malaria and other communicable diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.
Australiais investing heavily in education, with a major focus on achieving universal primary education, equipping people with the basic skills for further studies and success in the labour market.
Australiafunds a number of scholarships which provide educational, research and professional development opportunities to support growth in the Asia Pacific region and build enduring links at the individual, institutional and country levels.
With a long and proud tradition of rapid and generous support for the victims of humanitarian crises, both regionally and globally, Australia has successfully led international responses to crises and natural disasters in Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.
Australia’s support was highlighted after the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, when it provided $1 billion to Indonesia for reconstruction and development projects. Australia continues to make a real impact in helping tsunami survivors to re-establish themselves. Australia has also made major contributions to humanitarian relief efforts in Africa, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Through the overseas aid program, Australians make a practical and positive contribution to meeting the challenges facing Australia’s region.