Pacific Community strengthens ties with New Zealand’s largest volunteer agency
1 February 2016
Wellington, New Zealand – The Pacific Community (SPC) and Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding that
signals a greater commitment to work together to assist Pacific Island countries and territories with achieving their
development aspirations.
The three-year partnership was signed in Wellington, New Zealand, by the Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin
Tukuitonga, and VSA Chief Executive, Dr Gill Greer.
“I’m delighted with the resolve of our two organisations to complement one another’s efforts for the benefit of Pacific
Islands people by calling upon New Zealand’s wonderful volunteering spirit,” Dr Tukuitonga said.
“SPC works across 25 broad sectors including fisheries, public health surveillance, geoscience and plant genetic
resources. The skills and experience of VSA’s volunteers will be an invaluable contribution to this important work,” Dr
Tukuitonga added.
Dr Greer said, “VSA and SPC share ambitions for a prosperous Pacific, in which people are able to create better lives
for themselves and their children. Working with SPC will allow us to offer even more opportunities for our Kiwi
volunteers to use their remarkable skills and experience to achieve these goals.”
Cooperation between the two organisations dates back to 2013 involving SPC’s Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine
Ecosystems Division, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and work related to disaster preparedness in Vanuatu.
This new agreement covers all future collaboration which will see New Zealand volunteers assigned to SPC activities and
projects across the Pacific for up to two years.
In the 53 years since Sir Edmund Hillary was its founding President, VSA has recruited over 3000 New Zealand volunteers
for the Asia-Pacific region.
SPC is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, proudly supporting development since
1947. It is an international organisation owned and governed by 26 country and territory members, including New Zealand.
The agreement signing has coincided with a High-level Consultation between New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade and SPC to discuss progress under their strategic Partnership Arrangement 2014-2024, focused on sharing expertise
and resources to support sustainable Pacific Islands development.
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