New Zealand is to fund a major tsunami recovery programme in the Western Province of Solomon Islands, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced in Honiara today.
"April's earthquake and tsunami devastated coastal parts of the western Solomons. Fifty-two people died, 9000 were affected, and around 6000 homes and other buildings were damaged or destroyed," Mr Peters said.
"Three months later, 4000 families are still living in makeshift camps, and there is a widespread need to rebuild basic infrastructure, especially health clinics, water, sanitation, housing, roads, bridges and wharves.
"This is clearly a monumental task that the Solomon Islands government is not able to complete on its own, and New Zealand is happy to support their efforts to return people's lives to normal as soon as possible.
"New Zealand gave $950,000 in immediate aid following the disaster, and now, over the next two years, we will provide a further $NZ7.5 million to help restore education, rebuild lost livelihoods - especially in fisheries - and repair homes and transport infrastructure.
"Rebuilding educational capacity and lost livelihoods is a natural focus for us. NZAID, the government's international aid agency, already gives priority to the Solomons' primary school sector. This has allowed it to develop the knowledge and relationships that can be applied effectively to this work.
"Around 170 schools have been damaged, with 20,000 students affected. Lost teaching materials also need replacing, and there are broader issues to work through, such as the inability of affected families to pay school fees.
"Fisheries were also hit hard. The environmental impact, such as reef destruction or reef rising, is believed to be severe in places. Some communities face a decline in reef fish, which are an important source of food and income, and the problems have been exacerbated by a loss of confidence in the sea as a safe place.
"NZAID has been helping the Solomons improve sustainable livelihoods in fisheries, so it is appropriate that we help the recovery effort.
"We will help replace lost canoes and equipment; fund a campaign to rebuild confidence in the safety of fishing, and assist community-based recovery plans for areas where fisheries and reefs have been affected.
"NZAID is also working with the Solomon Islands government to decide how we might help repair wharves, bridges, and roads, which are hampering the access of rural people to markets and social services, and impacting on tourism, which a valuable source of local income," Mr Peters said.