Asia Regional Programme

2008/09 Allocation | $2.3 million

While the focus of NZAID's development cooperation in Asia is on South East Asia, NZAID continues to support a number of activities in poorer western areas of China and, through the NZ Development Scholarships (NZDS), a range of countries in South Asia. These countries are eligible also for humanitarian assistance, projects funded through the KOHA-PICD and the ADAF-PSD.

China

The People's Republic of China has a population of approximately 1.3 billion and a land area of 9.5 million km². Despite tremendous growth since the commencement of an "open door" economic policy in 1978 and impressive gains in poverty reduction, more than 200 million people (about 15%) remain on incomes of less than US$1 per day. China places high priority on poverty alleviation but there continues to be large disparities between rural and urban populations, and between coastal and inland areas.

Foreign aid is a very small proportion of China's resources. Most multilateral agencies and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) bilateral donors have programmes in China but many donors, including New Zealand, are scaling back their assistance in recognition of China's progress and its increased capacity to provide for its own development.

Gansu: Jingyuan and Jingtai Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Project

The goal of this project is to achieve sustainable poverty reduction through an integrated approach to rural development. This includes agricultural training and demonstration activities as well as initiatives in health and education.

Following a favourable review in 2007, the project is to conclude in 2008/09.

Development Project Fund

$500,000 is allocated annually to fund poverty elimination activities in the Guangxi, Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions and Gansu, Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. These regions and provinces are markedly poorer on average than many eastern provinces.

NZ Development Scholarships

For the 2008 intake, eight NZDS (Open) scholarships are available to candidates from China in the NZDS Open category for study at postgraduate diploma, masters of doctorate level. The awards are targeted upon the same regions and provinces as the DPF, and applicants require the endorsement of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) before submitting their applications to NZ education institutions.

Rewi Alley Scholarship

This memorial scholarship is provided annually through the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

South Asia

NZAID provides up to 12 post graduate scholarships per year for applicants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.