NZ Volunteer agency commits to Pacific Community [1]
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 - 19:18. Updated on Thursday, April 14, 2016 - 15:08.
Pacific Island nations and territories will continue to receive help to strengthen development needs thanks to New Zealand’s largest volunteer agency, Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), for signing a three year Memorandum of Understanding with the Pacific Community (SPC).
The agreement, signed by Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga and VSA Chief Executive, Dr Gill Greer, will see volunteers work across fisheries, public health surveillance, geoscience and plant genetic resources.
In a statement on 1 February 2016, Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga, said that the skills and experience of VSA’s volunteers will be invaluable to the many projects in the Pacific.
“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,” said Dr Tukuitonga.
Dr Greer said the two organisations share ambitions for a prosperous Pacific where people 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,” said Dr Greer.
Volunteers will be assigned to SPC activities and projects for up to two years throughout the Pacific.
VSA has placed over 3000 New Zealand volunteers in the Asia-Pacific region in the last 53 years.
SPC was established in 1947 and is owned and governed by 26 country and territory members. It is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region.