Ongoing funding for Pacific Security Fund

The Government will commit ongoing funding of $3 million annually to a special fund for strengthening security in the Pacific, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced last night.

Speaking at the Pacific Counter-Terrorism Round Table in Wellington, Helen Clark said the government’s Pacific Security Fund provided advice, training and technical assistance to Pacific Islands countries on security issues.

“In its first year, the fund has supported projects in aviation security, port and shipping security, customs processes, immigration, counter-terrorism, and legislative drafting.

“The Fund is working well, and I am pleased to announce that it will receive ongoing government funding of $3 million per year to continue and extend its programmes,” Helen Clark said.

The Pacific Security Fund is a funding pool for New Zealand Government agencies to draw on to help Pacific countries cover security gaps.

The Fund is designed for one-off or contingency activities in the Pacific, such as training and technical support, which address the external threats posed to Pacific Island countries and the risks to New Zealand arising from them.

Examples of projects currently being funded include:

Six x-ray machines for scanning carry-on luggage at airports in Tonga, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and Niue; Training officials from Pacific countries on the new International Ship and Port Facility Code, covering security at port facilities; Training officials on new United States requirements on container shipping security; Programmes to educate Pacific Island travellers on biosecurity requirements; and Helping Pacific Island officials with drafting requirements for their own counter-terrorism legislation.

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