New Zealand gives aid to Fiji

SUVA – Fiji’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, and his New Zealand counterpart, Murray McCully, have signed a multi year aid agreemeent.

The Fiji government reports a Development Cooperation Arrangement through to 2019 will cover agriculture, skills training and capacity building. The aid is worth NZ$33 million dollars.

New Zealand has agreed to extend the scholarship programme with 20 spaces being offered to Fijian students this year – double that of the last two years.

Both countries have also agreed to enhance existing defence cooperation and to revive assistance programmes that had benefited Fijians in the past.

McCully was visiting Fiji the same week Russian military representatives were in the country handing over NZ$8.8 million in military hardware. - RNZI