27 November 2014

Forum Compact Development Partner Peer Review of New Zealand heads to Kiribati

Following the completion of the first leg of the review of New Zealand’s development cooperation in the Pacific, the Forum Compact Review Team is now visiting Kiribati to assess the effectiveness of New Zealand’s assistance in the small island developing state.

The review team’s week-long visit to Wellington included discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, New Zealand AidProgramme leaders and staff, civil society organisations, parliamentarians, opinion leaders and senior representatives from resident Pacific missions in Wellington.

The review is being conducted jointly with representatives from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of theOrganisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The teams are continuing the joint effort this week in Kiribati where they will meet with senior Ministers and government officials, members of civil society, resident development partners and with Te Beretitenti of Kiribati, His Excellency, AnoteTong.

The main aim of the visit is to assess the link between “policy and practice” and to ground truth the effectiveness of New Zealand’s development cooperation in the Pacific.

“We consider the review teams’ visit an excellent opportunity to do a country deep dive on how New Zealand assistance is changing lives,” says Craig Hawke, Head of the New Zealand Aid Programme at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“We encourage other development partners in the Pacific to consider this review as a way to move forward and achieve better development processes. This review will help provide us with a platform to look at new ideas in the next step for development.”

ENDS

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