Page 18 - IB Mar 2020

Opinion Opinion

PNG High Commissioner to Australia, John A packed house at the aid conference. Photos: Alexandra Orme
Ma’o Kali.

PACIFIC STEP-UP NEEDS

PACIFIC VOICES

By Sadhana Sen our Pacific economies?
Here are a few notable takeaways from the conference
Is development assistance for poor developing countries from Pacific speakers:
about altruism, or is it all about economic and strategic self- Fiji-based feminists Tara Chetty, Virisila Buadromo and
interest for the Pacific’s biggest donor, Australia? Michelle Reddy reported that “less than 1 per cent of grant
How can aid truly reduce poverty, increase literacy and funding to the Pacific is directed to women and girls.”
numeracy levels, gain gender parity where there is none, or According to Buadromo, “feminist activism in the Pacific
change the patriarchal make-up of our societies and reduce is affected by not just ‘lack of resources’, but also lack
violence against women? of equity. Few grassroots organisations enjoy access to,
Will decreased donor dependence ever be possible in the knowledge of, or skills to develop proposals. Even the
Pacific, given the high reliance on aid? Despite the depth of opportunity to participate in discussions on what resources
aid, our region is performing poorly, at least by Australian and where it should be deployed is the privilege of few.”
measurements, giving donors the technical high ground and Their study Where is the Money for Women and Girls in the
moral ‘voice’ in program input, design and evaluation. Pacific recommended the establishment of an independent
Do Pacific governments have an interest beyond the Pacific Feminist Fund that is a conduit for Pacific women’s
electoral cycle to use development assistance to actually organisations to secure funding, and improved transparency
advance beyond their current stages of economic growth and around funding data.
uplift standards of living for Pacific people? The Whitlam Institute and a consortium of development
These were the questions I had as a first-timer to the 2020 researchers launched a study titled Pacific Perspectives on
Australasian Aid Conference hosted by the Development the World: Listening to Australia’s Island neighbours in order
Policy Centre at the Australian National University. I came to build strong, respectful and sustainable relationships.
away enriched, however a little bewildered at how poorly Conducted in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the reports
the region understood and did development, and with more states that to Pacific people: “quality relationships matter
questions than answers. more than quantities of aid, trade and other engagement”
The array of specialist panelists from Australia’s and that “they want relationships that put the concerns of
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), other Pacific peoples on a par with those of Australia, that reach
Australian and international development NGOs, aid beyond the narrow bands of government and civil society,
facilities, research consortiums etc made one ask; despite that prioritise local ownership and that recognise our shared
all these years of postgraduate scholarships to Pacific island histories and identities.”
nations, where are Pacific Island specialists and experts The report recommends working with the Pacific, and
to have these critical development conversations with our not doing things for and to the Pacific, an investment into
counterparts on aid design, management and programming? Australians’ ‘Pacific literacy’, and for Australia to get its
Where are our agricultural economists listening to critiques of own house in order on issues such as the status of Indigenous
agricultural and horticultural programming, and why despite Australians, climate policy and unequal trade opportunities.
millions of donor dollars spent to improve these sectors, have Some glaring and often ignored statistics were presented
we made only marginal inroads to growth, local employment on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Pacific by Daiana
and enhanced exports let alone foreign exchange earnings for Buresova, the Pacific Regional Coordinator for McCabe Centre

18 Islands Business ,March 2020