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Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, has unveiled new rounds of funding to support the Pacific Islands Forum and Timor-Leste’s trade and development needs, alongside $2 million for climate projects in developing nations.
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The announcement was made ahead of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in the United Arab Emirates to support prosperity through trade and development.
The funding packages included $10.3 million for the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat office in Geneva to support the forum’s World Trade Organization engagement, as well as an additional $8.6 million to help Timor-Leste meet their World Trade Organization and ASEAN accession requirements, the minister confirmed.
A further $2 million was pledged to Geneva-based research and development organisations to help climate and development priorities in developing nations.
The Commonwealth hopes that the funding will support capacity building, trade financing, enhancing intellectual property systems, and support findings ways to boost national climate adaptation plans.
Minister Wong explained that the recent funding was crucial for long-term economic development.
"There is no sustainable long-term economic growth without trade. Being serious about helping our neighbours become more economically resilient means supporting their development as trading nations,” Minister Wong said.
The funding comes a month after the minister pledged $21 million to Gaza, amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel war, sparking concerns that the money may find its way into the hands of extremist groups
In mid-January, Minister Wong and Defence Industry and International Development Minister Pat Conroy announced that the Commonwealth had committed an additional $21.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestine.
The announcement took Australia’s total commitment to over $46 million.
According to a release from the Commonwealth, the funding will address humanitarian needs arising from the ongoing conflict as well as provide support for refugee populations outside of Israel and Palestine.
It is set to include $4 million for the Red Cross and Red Crescent for the delivery of emergency supplies and services, as well as $6 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for food, shelter, and emergency health care.
It will also see money allocated to Palestinians not currently residing in the conflict zone, including $11.5 million to refugee programs in neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan.
