New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark announced Thursday that her government has developed a draft strategy for its Pacific Regional Natural Resources and Disaster Management Program.
"New Zealand is committed to providing practical support to Pacific Island countries and communities who must respond and adapt to environment," Clark said in a media statement released Thursday.
New Zealand will deliver over the next seven years an assistance program of up to 50 million NZD (36 million U.S. dollars), in complement to its additional current annual support of 10 million NZD (7.2 million U.S. dollars) to Pacific regional organizations, said Clarke.
Those regional organizations are helping small Pacific Island nations, which are especially vulnerable to the impact of "global warming", deal with sustainable natural resource management, disaster risk reduction, renewable energy development and climate change adaptation.
A draft strategy for this program has been prepared and will be released for external consultation at the end of August 2008, she added.
The premier, who is here for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), noted New Zealand's assistance will focus on three areas: improving access to water, helping Pacific countries better prepared for natural disasters and for responding to them; and strengthening the management of interlinked environmental issues by countries and communities.
"We will invite our partners to advise us on the strategy, so that we can build the best possible response to environmental challenges facing the region," she said.
Source:Xinhua
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