New Zealand will support good governance and quality audit activities in the North Pacific, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says.
“Promoting good governance and strong institutions is an important part of our development programme in the Pacific. We are pleased to be providing $16.4 million in support to the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions for its work in the North Pacific,” Mr Peters says during a visit to Koror, Palau.
“This project demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to meaningful collaboration and cooperation in every part of the Pacific Islands region.
“This project is part of a broader governance programme to support the North Pacific to strengthen public service performance, increase access to justice, reduce corruption, and improve the delivery of elections.”
Over the past week, Peters has led a cross-party delegation to Fiji, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. The tour has included high-level meetings with political and community leaders; and visits to projects supported by New Zealand’s development programme in the North Pacific.
“These face-to-face connections express our deep commitment to all our Pacific partners and are the only way we can truly understand the issues that matter to them,” Peters says.
The deputy prime minister has been accompanied in Palau by Labour Pacific caucus chair Jenny Salesa; foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee chair Tim van de Molen and foreign affairs committee member Teanau Tuiono.
Palau is the final destination of the delegation’s four-country Pacific tour, following Fiji, the Republic of Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Mr Peters has now visited 14 of the 17 other Pacific Islands Forum members in 2024. He hopes to visit the remaining three – French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Kiribati – by the end of the year.
The delegation arrives back in New Zealand tomorrow (August 16).