Country and Regional Programs

Under the PNG‑Australia Partnership for Development, assistance to PNG will initially focus on five priority areas and will:

Provide better access to markets and services through improving transport infrastructure by supporting the implementation of PNG's National Transport Development Plan to improve priority national roads, regional airports and ports.

Promote faster progress towards universal basic education, by supporting the implementation of PNG's National Education Plan, targeting increasing primary and elementary school enrolment rates, with a particular focus on increasing the percentage of female students. As agreed by Prime Minister Rudd and Prime Minister Somare, activities will aim to raise the net enrolment rate in PNG primary schools to 70 per cent by 2015.

Improve health outcomes, by providing assistance for PNG to implement the National Health Strategy to meet targets on triple antigen and measles vaccinations, reducing malaria and tuberculosis rates, and increasing the percentage of deliveries supervised by skilled staff.

Strengthen the public service, by improving public administration at national, provincial and district levels, including strengthening public financial management.

Improve statistical data by developing and implementing a national statistics roadmap, consisting of household surveys, census and data collection by Government agencies. Consistent and coordinated data collection will enable development policy and program formulation to be based on sound statistics and performance reporting.

Other assistance will:

Improve governance and nation building by working with civil society, the private sector and all levels of government to support enhanced governance, civic education and community development.

Promote sustainable broad‑based economic growth and increased productivity through continued support for macro‑economic management, enhanced private sector development and improved agricultural productivity in rural areas.

Improve service delivery and stability including public administration and governance at the sub-national level through the Provincial Performance Improvement Initiative, which covers 17 provinces as well as Bougainville. Assistance to PNG's law and justice sector will continue to strengthen the ability of PNG agencies to improve application of the rule of law.

Provide a strengthened, coordinated and effective response to the HIV crisis through a $100 million five year (from 2007) multi‑sector program to prevent the spread of HIV and provide treatment and care for those most affected. Australia is working with PNG to improve the quality of the HIV response by strengthening support to national leadership, processes and systems; increasing engagement at the provincial level; and reinvigorating the focus on HIV prevention.

Under the Solomon Islands-Australia Partnership for Development, assistance to Solomon Islands will:

Improve service delivery, by strengthening public health functions that respond to community health needs and improving progress towards MDG targets for health facility access, reduced malaria incidence, reduced maternal and infant mortality rates and increased access to clean water and proper sanitation. The Partnership will also investigate options for providing assistance to the education sector.

Improve economic livelihoods by working to create long‑term economic opportunities and livelihood security for Solomon Islanders, particularly those living in rural areas. Support will be provided for more productive and sustainable utilisation of agricultural land, forests and marine resources, and the improved operation of markets for the benefit of rural households.

Improve economic infrastructure by increasing access to transport, energy and telecommunication services and maintaining priority transport infrastructure. Assistance will also be provided to improve access to and reduce costs of energy supply including by expanding the use of renewable energy technologies.

Address economic and fiscal challenges, through improved decision‑making processes and structural reforms to make Solomon Islands an attractive and reliable place for business to invest. The use of performance‑linked funding will also be considered. This work complements capacity building efforts under the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

Assistance through RAMSI will:

Contribute to a safer and more secure Solomon Islands, by strengthening the law and justice system to improve the Government's capacity to provide timely, affordable and equitable access to justice. Programs will provide technical assistance including prosecution and defence lawyers to build capacity of the justice agencies, support to the corrections system to improve both security and conditions in prisons, and funds for upgrading court and prison infrastructure.

Contribute to a better functioning government, by improving accountability and service delivery, including through implementation of programs to strengthen the Solomon Islands public service and provincial administration. Programs will also support improved electoral processes, strengthening of Parliaments' representative, oversight and law-making functions, and strategies to increase women's participation in government.

Contribute to improved standards of living for Solomon Islanders, building capacity of the Solomon Islands Government to develop and implement policies which support sustainable economic growth, including public financial management capacity.

Under a proposed new Pacific Partnership for Development, assistance to Vanuatu is expected to focus on:

Increasing access to and quality of education, by supporting implementation of Vanuatu's Education Sector Strategy.

Improving access to basic health care services for rural communities, including trained personnel, enhanced infrastructure, and reliable pharmaceutical supplies. Support will be provided for programs to improve immunisation coverage rates and reduce malaria.

Improving infrastructure, to facilitate access to markets and services through rehabilitation and maintenance of Vanuatu's national road network.

Governance reforms, including support for continued improvements to Vanuatu's budget system, the operation of government business enterprises, improved statistics to track MDG progress, and support to Vanuatu's Land Reform Agenda.

Other assistance will cover:

Law and justice, through support for key legal institutions and the Vanuatu Police Force.

Ahead of progress towards a return to democratic governance, assistance to Fiji will:

Provide social protection and financial inclusion measures to support vulnerable communities affected by the global recession and the floods of January 2009. This will include small and medium rural enterprise development including measures that promote better access to financial services for the poor.

Support health and education systems through continued provision of funding for essential health and education services.

Partner with civil society and regional organisations to promote an enabling environment for improved governance and accountability, as well as providing support to promote political dialogue, civic education and elections.

Under a proposed new Pacific Partnership for Development, assistance to Tonga is expected to focus on:

Building a more efficient public sector, through strengthening policy formulation and implementation and improving public financial and economic management.

Improving health, providing support to reduce the prevalence of non‑communicable diseases and improve access to and quality of primary health care.

Improving technical and vocational skills in areas of industry demand both domestically and abroad, through strengthening the management and teaching capabilities of technical and vocational education and training institutions in Tonga, and promoting access to training and employment opportunities in the region.

Developing infrastructure, through the Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility.

Under the Samoa‑Australia Partnership for Development, assistance to Samoa will:

Promote private sector growth and employment, with an emphasis on agriculture and fisheries, regional economic integration and trade liberalisation, economic infrastructure and lowering costs of doing business.

Improve health, by supporting the reduction of non‑communicable diseases and workforce development in the health sector.

Improve education, by supporting equitable access to and quality of education including disability services.

Improve governance, through public sector improvement, improving public financial management and strengthening statistics and data on development and governance indicators.

Strengthen law and justice, by supporting an integrated approach to policing and law and justice sector reform.

Provide climate change assistance, by supporting Samoa's National Adaptation Programme of Action that will monitor the impacts of climate change, provide adaptation measures for vulnerable communities and develop viable options for renewable energy.

Under the Kiribati‑Australia Partnership for Development, assistance to Kiribati will:

Improve basic education, by supporting efforts to achieve improved access to and quality of education in primary and junior secondary schools.

Develop workforce skills, in areas of industry demand both domestically and abroad to decrease youth unemployment in Tarawa and the outer islands.

Improve growth and economic management, by supporting reforms that improve public financial management, increase Government of Kiribati revenues, reduce the cost of public enterprises, and improve service delivery including through delivery by the private sector.

Assistance to Tuvalu will:

Provide annual contributions, linked to reforms, to the Tuvalu Trust Fund and related budget mechanisms to support both recurrent government budgets (particularly in health and education) and Tuvalu's long‑term financial viability.

Improve public sector management, supporting human resource management, budgetary management and improving oversight of public enterprises.

Improve access to and quality of education and vocational skills development, through provision of scholarships, improving Tuvalu's national education system, and facilitating access to technical training.

Areas of assistance will be further refined under a Pacific Partnership for Development to be negotiated in 2009.

Assistance to Nauru will:

Improve economic and financial management, health and education services including technical and vocational education and training, utilities management and supporting improved revenue from the fisheries and phosphate industries.

Areas of assistance will be further refined under a Pacific Partnership for Development to be negotiated in 2009.

Assistance to Micronesia will:

Improve governance, public financial management and energy policy, through the provision of advisory services and regional scholarships.

Support community organisations and government agencies, through a small grants scheme.

Assistance to Cook Islands will be provided through a delegated cooperation program with New Zealand, and focus on the outer islands. Assistance will cover: economic growth, infrastructure; service delivery; and governance.

Assistance to Nuie and Tokelau will:

Promote social and economic development, through support to the Niue and Tokelau International Trust Funds.

Support human resource development, through targeted scholarships and technical assistance to strengthen capacity for management and policy development.

Major Pacific regional assistance programs will cover:

Health systems strengthening, through health workforce development and service provision under a $13.3 million initiative over four years from 2007‑08. This initiative provides significant investment in health workforce planning and training, as well as coordination of specialist surgical and training visits in the Pacific region.

Addressing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, through the Pacific Island HIV and STI Response Fund (up to $30 million over five years from 2008‑09). This initiative, in partnership with other donors, strengthens the focus on prevention and continues support for testing, treatment and research.

Combating malaria in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and regionally.

Tackling non‑communicable diseases in Pacific Island countries, by supporting prevention, workforce training in clinical management, surveillance and research on disease burden and creating sustainable funding mechanisms through taxation.

Improving education, through a $48 million Pacific education program over three years from 2008‑09 to support better education access and quality and implement universal basic education. Continuing support will be provided for the Australia-Pacific Technical College, through a $149.5 million initiative over four years from 2007‑08. The College is supporting skills development in the Pacific in response to national and regional labour market requirements, and provides qualifications in construction and automotive trades, manufacturing, hospitality/tourism and health/community services. The College will graduate 3,000 students over four years.

Climate change, through helping partner countries adapt to the impacts of climate change as well as identifying and financing priority adaptation measures that can immediately increase the resilience of partner countries to the impacts of climate change.

Building public sector capacity, through a $107 million Pacific Public Sector Capacity Building Initiative over four years from 2008‑09.

Enhancing engagement with and support for Pacific regional organisations, which play an important role in coordinating and developing regional solutions to shared development challenges. During 2009‑10 Australia will support institutional reform and strategic planning agendas agreed by member countries.

Assistance to Indonesia will:

Promote sustainable growth and economic management, by improving economic policy and strengthening economic management at a national level; reducing infrastructure constraints; and improving natural resource management. Economic crisis policy and programs will be strengthened so that financial system stability is maintained and investment is encouraged. The development of infrastructure at national and local levels will be supported, including continuing improvements to road networks in eastern Indonesia under the Australia‑Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development (AIPRD).

Improve service delivery, supporting better access to health services, education and water and sanitation to progress the MDGs. Support for Indonesia's national poverty alleviation program (PNPM) will be expanded. As part of the Basic Education Program, the construction and rehabilitation of 2,000 junior secondary schools will be completed. Ongoing support will be provided to reduce maternal and infant mortality; prevent and manage HIV, particularly in the Papua region; and improve rural and urban water supply and sanitation.

Improve democracy, justice and good governance by strengthening capacity, accountability and responsiveness of legal, democratic and oversight institutions. Local government reforms in priority regions to improve service delivery and public financial management will be supported.

Improve safety and peace, through improved responses to humanitarian needs, and improved capacity to ensure transport safety and security and to counter threats from transnational crime. The new Australia‑Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction will be inaugurated to improve disaster response management in Indonesia and the region.

Assistance to the Philippines will:

Improve basic education, through support for the Government of the Philippines' Basic Education Reform Agenda to achieve its MDG target of universal primary education. This includes support for School Based Management, rationalisation of teacher deployments to ensure coverage of remote schools, text book provision and school building construction. Increased support will be provided to improve access to and the quality of education for Muslim and indigenous children and children in disadvantaged and conflict‑affected areas, including the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Promote national stability and human security, through support for peace building programs focused at the community level, the provision of economic opportunities through small‑scale infrastructure development and the delivery of health services through UNFPA, WHO, and UNICEF. Support will also be directed to social protection through financial incentives for families to access health and education services. Increased funding will be provided to reduce maternal mortality. Disaster response will be improved through collaborative partnerships with government and civil society.

Support economic growth, through programs to increase the quality and level of government expenditure on social services and infrastructure, supporting improvements to national level budgeting and public financial management and improved management of road infrastructure at the provincial level.

Assistance to Vietnam will:

Support inclusive growth, through activities that assist Vietnam address the challenges of economic integration and transition to a market economy.

Improve infrastructure by supporting the development of key infrastructure in the Mekong Delta, including funding the design of a bridge at Cao Lanh which will improve connectivity and access to markets.

Improve water and sanitation by supporting Vietnam's national water and sanitation program.

Provide climate change assistance to Vietnam's national program to respond to climate change and ongoing assistance to reduce the risk of natural disasters. Climate analyses in the Mekong Delta and increased mitigation activities, including in energy and biodiversity conservation, will also be supported.

Build government and private sector capacity by increasing the number of Australian Development Scholarships in 2009‑10.

Assistance to Cambodia will:

Alleviate rural poverty through a new program to increase the value of Cambodian agricultural production, especially rice. Support will foster better linkages between farmers and markets, rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure and improve agricultural practices. Assistance will also be provided for mine and unexploded ordnance clearance, and maintenance of rural roads.

Improve health outcomes through increased assistance for improved health service delivery, with a focus on improving child and maternal health services. Direct support for areas such as midwifery training and reproductive health services will be complemented by support for the Implementation of the Cambodian Government's Health Strategic Plan.

Support sustainable economic and natural resource management through improved public financial management to enhance service delivery. A priority will be to support the development of social protection measures.

Strengthen law and justice by supporting key Cambodian legal institutions to strengthen the rule of law and access to justice, especially for juveniles, women and other vulnerable groups.  Strengthening crime prevention and community safety organisations will be a priority.

Assistance to Laos will:

Increase access to quality basic education by funding school construction, training teachers, improving curriculum materials and the provision of school feeding programs, in poor and remote areas. Improving access to education for children with disabilities will be a priority.

Support trade and investment reforms in areas that underpin equitable growth. Analytical and advisory support will be provided to: improve the capacity of ministries to engage in reforms, simplify bureaucratic procedures, improve regulatory frameworks and increase competitiveness in products with the potential to benefit the poor.

Integrate livelihood development through community-based programs addressing food security, income generation and reduced vulnerability to unexploded ordnance. Assistance will also be provided to improve rural access to electricity, and road infrastructure.

Build Government and private sector capacity through the provision of scholarships for study in Australia and at the National University of Laos.

Assistance to East Timor will:

Expand support to improve health outcomes, particularly in rural areas, including through strengthened engagement with district administration. Enhance support for rural employment, including through employment generation, training and assistance in agriculture and rural development.

Improving public financial management, including through strengthening basic public accounting practices and through building administrative capacity across the government.

Improving security, notably through an Australian Federal Police‑managed program to build the capacity of the East Timor National Police force.

Assistance to Burma will:

Support the basic needs of Burma's poor and vulnerable populations, especially in the areas of immediate humanitarian assistance, healthcare, basic education and livelihoods support.

Continue to assist communities in the Irrawaddy delta region affected by Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and vulnerable populations including refugees on the Thai and Bangladeshi borders.

Australian support to the people of Burma will continue to be provided through United Nations agencies and international NGOs.

Assistance through the East Asia Regional Program will:

Strengthen regional economic integration, through:

• assistance to achieve an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015;
• implementation of the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement;
• continued support for East Asia Summit economic and trade priorities; and
• continued assistance to APEC's capacity building initiatives for developing economies.

In response to the global recession Australia will support work aimed at encouraging countries in the region to harmonise and coordinate their financial corporate governance reforms and rescue packages.

Strengthen capacities of key regional institutions to tackle transboundary challenges in health and human security, including:

• combating the threat of pandemics and emerging infectious diseases, such as Avian Influenza by strengthening surveillance, prevention and response systems for animal and human health; preventing the spread of HIV and reducing HIV‑related harm associated with drug use in the region; and
• preventing the commercial sexual exploitation of children and addressing people trafficking by improving coordinated responses within and across criminal justice systems in Southeast Asia.
  

and in the Mekong sub‑region:

• Support sub‑regional connectivity through infrastructure investments in poorer areas by improving market access and services, upgrading feeder roads connecting to transport corridors and by improving the provision of sustainable and efficient energy.
• Enable sub‑regional integration by improving the efficient cross‑border movement of goods, people and vehicles, and through improved management of water resources in the Greater Mekong Basin.

Assistance to China will focus on:

Policy engagement on global and regional issues, partnerships and skills enhancement in governance (economic reform), environment (water and climate change) and health (strengthening health systems and HIV) sectors, supported by technical and knowledge exchanges.

Assistance to Mongolia will:

Provide scholarships to assist the Mongolian Government achieve its Human Resource Development goals.

Assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will:

Respond to the protracted humanitarian emergency through funding to United Nations and international agencies providing assistance in areas such as food aid, water and sanitation and disaster response and preparedness. The provision of other development assistance will depend on progress on denuclearisation.

Assistance to Africa will:

Support Africa's achievement of the MDGs through an enhanced development program of assistance in selected countries and sectors, such as food security, maternal and child health, and water and sanitation. This will be largely delivered through partnerships with other donors, multilateral organisations and NGOs. An expanded scholarships program will underpin this assistance by helping to build African human resource capacity.

Contribute timely and effective humanitarian assistance by responding to emergency situations and providing programmed assistance for protracted humanitarian needs and disaster risk reduction. Humanitarian aid to Africa will increasingly be linked to broader development efforts in order to achieve long‑term gains. Australia's assistance will be part of our efforts to help sub‑Saharan Africa meet the MDGs and will be closely coordinated with other donors.

Support the reintegration of Zimbabwe into the international community by continuing to provide humanitarian support to Zimbabwe through international organisations and NGOs. Australia will also support efforts by the inclusive Government of Zimbabwe to bring sustainable and longer-term improvements to the lives of Zimbabweans.

Assistance to Bangladesh will:

Improve livelihoods of the rural poor by providing targeted assistance to the extreme poor; through programs with the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) and by continuing to provide humanitarian assistance to identified communities in need.

Increase support for health services, through new and expanded partnerships to enhance health services delivery by government and NGO providers. Support will help reduce maternal, neonatal and child deaths in rural areas by improving the skills and motivation of health providers, strengthening referral linkages between public and private health facilities, increasing demand for obstetric services and providing improved emergency obstetric care. Funding will also further develop human resources for health services, particularly midwifery.

Increase support for education through expanded programs with UNICEF and BRAC. In 2009‑10, as part of a multi-donor program, teacher education and local-level planning for government primary schools will be targeted. Support will also be provided to a nation-wide non-government network of 32,000 primary schools which focus on disadvantaged poor rural children who are excluded from the formal system. These BRAC‑managed schools also seek to address the multiple disadvantages faced by poor children with disabilities.

Improve water and sanitation services for urban and rural poor and enhancing community resilience to climate change.

Assistance to Sri Lanka will:

Provide humanitarian support (food, shelter, medicines and protection) to conflict‑affected communities in the North and East.

Promote community rehabilitation, livelihood development and peace building, delivered primarily through United Nations and NGO partners.

Improve access to education for the most vulnerable and marginalised children affected by conflict. The Ministry of Education will be assisted to plan, manage and assess schooling at provincial and local levels.

Continue support to improving natural resource management, including through community‑based approaches.

Assistance to India will:

Continue support to foster agricultural research and build linkages focused on sustainable development between Australian and Indian public sector institutions, including on climate change.

Continue support for reducing the risk and impact of HIV and AIDS particularly among high‑risk groups in the Northeast.

Assistance to Nepal will:

Improve health service delivery by funding UNICEF child health programs and participating in a multi-donor program with the Government of Nepal to improve health services and cut maternal and child mortality.

Strengthen governance and build broad community participation through strengthening democratic practices and increasing inclusion of marginalised communities, in partnership with the United Kingdom's Department for International Development.

Support education through targeted improvements in basic education access and quality, focusing on girls and disadvantaged children.

Directly contribute to poverty reduction through a partnership with UNDP to help support micro‑enterprise development and employment generation.

Assistance to the Maldives will:

Continue support through Australian Scholarships, post-tsunami reconstruction and governance activities.

Assistance to Bhutan will:

Continue support through Australian Scholarships and small-scale governance and education activities.

Assistance to South Asia, through the regional program, will:

Continue support to address priority regional development issues, including adaptation to climate change, water and sanitation, HIV and AIDS, health, education, regional integration and policy analysis. Assistance will be delivered through key regional partners including UNAIDS, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Targeted support will also be provided to improve governance, including economic management.

Assistance to Pakistan will:

Support maternal and child health through the Government of Pakistan's National Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Program, which seeks to improve quality and access to healthcare services for mothers and their children.

Support basic education by improving the quality of, and expanding access to, basic education for under‑served and disadvantaged groups, particularly in poorer provinces. Support will also seek to improve educational governance at both the federal and provincial levels.

Continue humanitarian relief and reconstruction by supporting the reconstruction of schools and health facilities destroyed as a result of the October 2005 earthquake. Support will also be directed to the United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC) for relief operations targeting internally displaced people in the border regions with Afghanistan.

Support agriculture and rural development by building agricultural linkages between Pakistani and Australian institutions, and developing opportunities to improve livelihoods through rural development programs.

Build human capital through tertiary scholarships.

Assistance to Afghanistan will:

Improve agriculture and rural development through programs supporting improved agricultural production, food security and rural livelihoods.

Support basic service delivery in education and health through assistance to national government programs. Emphasis will be placed on targeting maternal and child health services. In partnership with Malaysia, a Master Teacher training program will be supported. Australian postgraduate scholarships, linked to four target ministries including agriculture, health, rural development and education, will also be provided.

Strengthen local governance and promote community capacity to manage small‑scale projects. Increased support will also be provided to build the capacity of key Afghan government ministries together with support for the 2009 presidential and provincial elections.

Assist vulnerable populations through United Nations and other multilateral agencies delivering emergency relief and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities. The program will also support social protection and mine action programs.

Support reconstruction activities by complementing the Australian Defence Force's activities in Oruzgan Province.

Assistance to Iraq will:

Strengthen agricultural productivity and food security through programs under the Australia‑Iraq Agricultural Partnership. This includes building skills through scholarships and specialist short courses, improving food security through research and projects to introduce best‑practice farming and soil management techniques and supporting the creation of rural businesses through rural microfinance.

Support improved governance and public sector capacity through programs to build skills in quarantine and border control, public financial management, trade, human rights, and public sector reform.

Support vulnerable populations by re‑establishing essential services (including health and education), with a particular focus on internally displaced people, Iraqi refugees and respective host communities.

Assistance to the Palestinian Territories will:

Support the implementation of the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan.

Protect vulnerable groups particularly women and children, through improving livelihoods and access to basic services in partnership with Australian NGOs.

Improve health and education services for Palestinian refugees.

Includes sectoral, thematic, scholarship and aid effectiveness program expenditure, predominately for activities across geographic regions.

Small grants scheme administered by Australia's diplomatic posts in developing partner countries.

Supporting a Human Rights Small Grants Scheme, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, and emerging human rights issues.

Supporting business projects that demonstrate results benefiting the poor and future commercial viability, through grants awarded under open competition.

Supporting the development of leadership, partnerships and linkages amongst current and emerging leaders in the Asia‑Pacific region through scholarships and fellowship placements with Australian host organisations. Commencing in 2010, Australia will also provide scholarships through the Prime Minister's Pacific‑Australia Awards.