New Zealand

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade oversees most of New Zealand’s official development assistance (ODA).

New Zealand’s aid program has a strong geographic focus on Pacific developing member countries, where it invests close to 60% of its ODA funding. Beyond the Pacific, New Zealand also prioritizes initiatives in ASEAN countries (i.e., Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Philippines, and Viet Nam).

New Zealand’s ODA emphasizes alignment with partner priorities and focuses on inclusive and sustainable development. It integrates crosscutting issues such as climate change, disaster resilience, gender equality and human rights, child and youth well-being, economic prosperity, and good governance. New Zealand additionally provides significant humanitarian support in response to natural disasters and conflict.

Highlights of ADB–New Zealand Engagement in 2023:

Sovereign Cofinancing. In 2023, New Zealand supported the Pacific island countries through $11.6 million in grant cofinancing and technical assistance. It committed $6.2 million to help Vanuatu improve shipping services by upgrading wharf infrastructure and supporting private shipping operators to service remote destinations, thereby enhancing access to socioeconomic opportunities. It also committed $3 million to support the implementation of the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility, a multi-partner coordination and facility established in 2008 to improve the quality and coverage of infrastructure and service delivery for its 14 Pacific member countries.

Nonsovereign Cofinancing. The Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) supported over 120 transactions valued at $33 million with a bank domiciled in New Zealand from inception to December 2023. During the same period, the TSCFP supported 330 New Zealand exports and/or imports valued at $135.6 million. In 2023 alone, the TSCFP supported a transaction with a bank domiciled in New Zealand and supported 27 New Zealand exports valued at $17 million. Exports and/or imports were mainly to or from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Mongolia. Underlying goods involved mostly food and agriculture-related goods, raw and non-energy commodities, and textiles and apparel.

Trust Funds. In June 2023, New Zealand committed $25 million to the Energy Transition Mechanism Partnership Trust Fund. The fund will mobilize resources for the Energy Transition Mechanism, which aims to catalyze public and private capital to accelerate the transition from carbon-intensive coal-based power plants to clean energy in developing member countries (DMCs).

Special Funds. New Zealand is a founding member of ADB and has, since 1966, committed $214.8 million to ADB special funds. Of this commitment, $199.9 million has gone to the Asian Development Fund (ADF). The ADF provides grants to ADB’s low-income DMCs to help reduce poverty and improve quality of life.

Knowledge. In November 2023, ADB hosted the financing donors for the annual consultation meetings of the Clean Energy, Urban, and Water Financing Partnership Facilities (FPFs) in India. ADB thanked the donors, including New Zealand, while highlighting the FPFs’ role in developing innovative solutions. Donors expressed their support for the FPFs, underscoring the importance of scaling up knowledge and innovation, ensuring greater visibility for donor contributions, and diversifying the funding base for the FPFs.