New Zealand to Play Role in Reconstruction of Afghanistan

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 20, 2001

New Zealand to Play Role in Reconstruction of Afghanistan

New Zealand is standing by to send aid teams to Afghanistan, and prepared to add its weight behind a UN-led program to establish stable government there, New Zealand Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Robson said on Monday.

Robson, who is responsible for New Zealand's official development assistance, made the remarks at the African Focus Conference in Auckland, the biggest city in the country, according to a government press release. "It is important that this time the Afghan people have the opportunity to choose their own government, free of the direct intervention of another country," he said at the conference. "As part of a UN-led program, New Zealand and other countries can help Afghanistan to re-build itself," he added. New Zealand has offered a C130 plane to help with the delivery of humanitarian aid, a medical team and a team of engineers. Last month New Zealand gave a 420,000 U.S. dollar aid to Afghanistan. It is reported that Robson and New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff will be discussing the next steps for New Zealand in the coming week. Goff recently returned from New York where he met with United Nations officials. Robson told the African Focus Conference that the focus for New Zealand's aid now is the elimination of poverty, basic education and regional security. "Aid has a key role to play in creating a safe and secure world," he said. Robson noted that although the focus for New Zealand's aid is " our own backyard of the Pacific, Africa would remain a recipient of New Zealand aid." It is known that New Zealand provided 4.6 million U.S. dollars to Africa last year, targeting basic education, rural areas, HIV and AIDs awareness and other areas.

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