MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce three significant initiatives to further the
development and potential of Pacific Island nations, including those belonging
to the Commonwealth.
The first is an $8 million health package to deliver medical services in
Pacific Island nations by volunteer Australian doctors and nurses.
This project will run for five years and will involve sending teams of
specialists from Australia to offer on-the-job training to local medical staff
in the Pacific and assist in the areas of sustainable hospital management and
local health system reform.
Pacific Commonwealth countries to receive this assistance include Fiji,
Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
I am also pleased to announce Australia will provide $4 million over 7 years
to assist countries in the Pacific vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate
change and climate variability.
The funding will complement other Australian aid activities in areas such as
disaster preparedness and regional sea level monitoring and coordinate closely
with other donor funded adaptation programs in the Pacific.
Specific activities to receive funding will include vulnerability assessment
studies, pilot projects dealing with the impacts of climate variability and
change and regional consultations on island adaptation requirements.
Finally, I am pleased to announce Australia has agreed to provide $250,000 to
support small states representation at the World Trade Organisation in
Geneva.
The Australian Government is aware many small nations, including several
Commonwealth countries do not have sufficient institutional capacity to further
their trade interests at the WTO.
As a result, Australia and several other Commonwealth countries are prepared
to offer assistance through the Agency for International Trade Information and
Cooperation which is based in Geneva and has a proven track record in providing
advice, information and technical assistance to small states at the WTO.
These three initiatives demonstrate Australia's ongoing commitment to
advancing the interests of Pacific Island nations, including those countries
that are fellow members of the Commonwealth.
Media contacts:
Matt Francis (Ministerial) 02 6277 7500 / 0419 206 890
Fionna Douglas (AusAID) 02 6206 4960 / 0412 804 489