Australia and Vanuatu will work together to meet education, health, infrastructure and governance goals following the signing of a Partnership for Development between the two countries.
The Vanuatu-Australia Partnership for Development was signed by Prime Minister Rudd and Prime Minister Natapei of Vanuatu at Parliament House, Canberra on May 27, 2009 (pictured at right).
The Pacific Partnerships for Development are the centre piece of Australia's new approach to the Pacific region. They commit Australia and its Pacific partners to work together to meet common challenges, particularly in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Australia's Partnership with Vanuatu will initially focus on:
- increasing access and quality of schooling for all children;
- strengthening health services, particularly for rural communities;
- improving infrastructure to support economic growth and service delivery; and
- progressing economic governance reform issues.
The Pacific Partnerships for Development give practical impetus to the principles of mutual respect and mutual responsibility outlined in Prime Minister Rudd's 6 March 2008 Port Moresby Declaration. They aim to advance the prosperity of the region and raise the standard of living of people in the Pacific.
Most Pacific Island countries are not in a position to achieve the MDGs in areas such as health and education by 2015. Building on Vanuatu's recent growth and political stability, the Partnership aims to accelerate progress towards the MDGs through increased school enrolment, reduced poverty and improved primary healthcare.
More Information:
Australia-Vanuatu Partnership for Development [PDF 634KB]
Media Release: Pacific Partnership for Development with Vanuatu