Australia announces aid budget of $27.2 million to Laos

The Australian government will provide an estimated A$27.2 million (over 200 billion kip) in aid to Laos in the 2007-08 period.

The 2007-08 Budget, announced Tuesday night in Canberra, is a watershed for the Australian government's aid programme, and Australia's largest ever investment in reducing poverty...more info

In total, Australia will provide an estimated A$3.155 billion in official development assistance (ODA) in 2007-08, an increase over the 2006-07 budget of A$209 million.

ODA, managed by Australia 's overseas aid agency, AusAID, will increase by over 21.7 percent in real terms as the agency begins implementing major new initiatives announced in the budget.

Australian ODA to Laos will be used to further expand Australian engagement in improving the quality of, and access to, basic education. It will also support Australia 's commitment to promoting the country's integration with regional and global economies.

To reinforce Australia 's efforts to promote growth and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, the package of initiatives will make substantial new investments in critical areas, including education, economic growth, health and emergency and humanitarian response capacity.

These investments are guided by the 2006 White Paper on Australian aid and demonstrate real progress towards achieving the Government's commitment of a A$4 billion aid programme by 2010.

By vientiane times