PACIFIC: France to Increase Pacific Aid by 50 Percent

FRANCE TO INCREASE PACIFIC AID BY 50 PERCENT

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Aug. 1) - Papua New Guinea and 
other Pacific countries can expect a more active role by France in the South 
Pacific, including a 50 percent increase in financial aid for the next four 
years.

The Prime Minister's Office said this in a statement yesterday following the 
return of Sir Michael Somare from Papeete, Tahiti, where he and other Pacific 
leaders met with French President Jacques Chirac.

The Papeete meeting was to impress on President Chirac that France needs to 
be more active in assisting with regional initiatives to address political, 
economic, and social challenges that island nations are increasingly required 
to address.

Immediately after the meeting, President Chirac announced that France would 
further increase its co-operation with the South Pacific region. 

He said that the overseas development assistance to the Pacific between 2003 
and 2007 would be increased by 50 per cent. Some of these resource increases 
will go to the Economic and Social Fund for the Pacific (Pacific Fund) that 
is based in Paris and is currently worth about $US250 million.

President Chirac has directed French military resources, including naval and 
air force fleet, to be used in ways that take account of Pacific regional 
needs. 

Sir Michael's statement said it would assist with surveillance of our waters 
for "illegal fishing".

"President indicated that it will explore how it can expand its current 
co-operation with Australia and New Zealand in the area of disaster relief 
assistance to other Pacific Island countries.

"The President proposed that consideration be given to the conclusion of 
bilateral co-operation agreements in the area of culture," the statement 
said.

France will construct and open in 2006 a museum in Paris specifically 
dedicated to Pacific cultures and the President expressed hope that he will 
see Pacific leaders again during that occasion.

In response to Pacific leaders calls for more assistance in the area of 
health and HIV AIDS programs, France announced that it is arranging for 
around US$1 billion to go to a World AIDS Fund from which the region can draw 
from.

France will look at how it can co-operate with Australia and New Zealand to 
develop programs in the area of health and deliver it in the region.

On sustainable development, the President reaffirmed that France is aware of 
the peculiar needs of small island developing states and is supportive of the 
Barbados Plan of Action which recognises the vulnerability and needs of small 
island states. 

He said that France is proposing for the establishment of a proper 
International Environment Organisation to co-ordinate and develops responses 
to the global environment issues. 

The President assured Pacific leaders that they can count on France to be the 
ear, eye and mouthpiece for Pacific interests within the European Union. 

August 4, 2003

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