CID welcomes new minister of Foreign Affairs

24 April 2017

The Council for International Development (CID) welcomes the appointment of Gerry Brownlee as the new minister of Foreign Affairs.

“We look forward to working with him to support New Zealand’s non-government-organisations (NGOs) and charities working internationally to reduce poverty and protect civilians caught up crisis situations,” says Director of CID Josie Pagani.

CID is the umbrella agency for international development organisations in New Zealand. It has approximately forty members who are active in over sixty countries who between them generate about $182 million for development and humanitarian assistance each year.

“Our members are the face of New Zealand in some of the most challenging regions of the world, where they deliver humanitarian aid and development programmes to some of most vulnerable people. Right now we have New Zealand aid workers and agencies working around the clock to head off a humanitarian catastrophe in the Greater Horn of Africa (South Sudan) Nigeria and Yemen, and in Syria where millions of civilians rely on the help of international NGOs.

“Closer to home, many of our members collaborate with each other, with government and with the private sector to relieve poverty in the Pacific and support development that benefits local people.”

“Minister Brownlee is a senior, experienced and influential member of the cabinet. We look forward to collaborating with him to increase our ability to deliver real impact to those who need it most.

Snapshot of the international aid sector:

• New Zealand international NGOs generate $180 million to alleviate poverty around the world
• 56% of their funding comes from the New Zealand public, compared to 18% from government, and 26% from self- generated income (sales of goods and services).
• NGO Investment was balanced across regions of the world (Africa (31%), South East Asia (27%) and the Pacific (27%).
• 63% of international NGOs collaborate with each other to increase their impact.
• 69% collaborate with the private sector to get development outcomes
• Most International NGO funds go to programmes in health, education, economic development, humanitarian aid and resilience to disaster, humanitarian assistance, and clean water.

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