rp21 situational analysis - Pacific Health Voices

Situational analysis of drug and alcohol issues and responses in the Pacific
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17.6 Australian involvement
In May 2009 Australia and Vanuatu signed
a Pacific partnership agreement on development,
the fifth such agreement. 1004 Australia
and Vanuatu are working together, in collaboration
with New Zealand, to lift primary
school retention rates by phasing out school
fees. In addition, combating malaria will be
an important focus, building on the reduction
of malaria rates by 38 per cent in 2008.
The partnership will also see Australia help
the island nation improve infrastructure and
reform economic governance.
Australian Agency for
International Development
The Australian country program estimate for
aid to Vanuatu for 2008–09 is AU$37.35 million,
with total overseas development
assistance of AU$51.79 million, including
regional initiatives. The Australian aid
program in Vanuatu is designed to support
sustainable economic and social development.
The linking of program priorities in health,
education, and law and justice are designed
to reflect the Vanuatu Government’s priorities.
1005 In the future, it will be important to
identify where drug and alcohol use features
on the list of governmental priorities, with
activities such as capacity building for police
and legal staff providing the potential for
strengthening in these areas.
AusAID highlights achievements of the
Vanuatu program, including a more visible
police presence and extended reach of
police operations in Port Vila and Luganville.
In addition, 27 per cent of new recruits were
young women, compared with approximately
2 per cent before the campaign. 1006 Vanuatu
has benefited from the regional Legal
Sector Strengthening Project since 2000
and continues to do so with the placement
of Australian advisers in-country and the
opportunity for ni-Vanuatu to attend training
in Australia.
Programs with the potential to impact on and
support the development of drug and alcohol
interventions include the Vanuatu Women’s
Centre working to reduce violence against
women and children (2007–2012); Phase III
of the Law and Justice Sector Strengthening
Project (2006–2011); and the Vanuatu Police
Force Capacity Building Project (2006–2011),
which aims to strengthen crime prevention
and detection. Vanuatu has an AusAID
desk officer in-country as part of a regional
policing initiative.
1004 Australia and Vanuatu sign a Pacific partnership agreement on development, Radio New
Zealand International, 27 May 2009. Available at: (accessed July 2009).
1005 AusAID above, fn.941.
1006 Ibid. The first recruitment drive since 1997 may provide an opportunity to strengthen
interventions against domestic violence.