New Zealand Aid and Development Dialogues

Welcome to NZADDs

Welcome to NZADDs. We’re an independent group of academics and practitioners working together to promote dialogue and critical thinking about New Zealand’s role in international development.

Be it through aid, trade, immigration, or environmental policy (to name just a few), decisions made in New Zealand have real impacts on the the lives of people living in poverty in other countries. If we as a country want to help reduce global poverty and tackle global issues we need considered, well-intentioned policy and practice. NZADDs is committed to promoting this.

You can read more about NZADDs on our about page. For contact information see our contact page. Keep scrolling down to read our most recent updates on New Zealand Development Policy.

The mainstreaming delusion: why pretending to give climate aid won’t help the Pacific

21/06/2025terence

The New Zealand government has a problem. Our aid budget is falling. Yet, along with other donors, we’ve promised to give “new and additional” money to help poorer countries cope with the challenges of climate change. When it comes to aid, this means additional money on top of the aid we already give for other reasons.

Budget 2025: What happened to New Zealand aid?

22/05/202522/05/2025terence

Hi and welcome to an NZADDs update,

It was mid-afternoon on an otherwise pleasant Wellington day when the emails started to arrive. “What’s happening to the aid budget?” “The aid budget’s collapsing!” “Is climate finance going up or down, or both?” “Look out! Fiscal cliff!!!”.

Luckily, I had prepared. Bracing myself for a vexing afternoon of trawling through budget documents, I had already drunken several stout camomile teas and had put an Enya CD on. I was frustrated, but calm.

So, what’s going to happen to New Zealand government aid?