Re: Australian aid to India: Australian Budget 2003-2004

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Ref: " Australian aid to India: Australian Budget 2003-2004 " Does AID mean the

money has to be paid back with interest? or is it a donation?

If you will indulge my curiosity,does the world bank aid to India for HIV

prevention have to re paid or is it just a donation like this one. My

understanding is that the worlb bank aid is actually a loan.

Thank you in advacne for anyone who can answer this.

Can you also please provide a reference where I can find out more about this

Australian aid being a donation and not a loan. I an interested in knowing

the dynamics of international funding.

Vijay

E-mail: <emailreddy@...>

[Guest guest]

Hello Vijay and the Forum,

Let me start an answer to this question by quoting the conclusion

of the Foreign Minister's report to the Parliament -

" The 2003-04 aid budget is a practical expression of Australia's

commitment towards building a secure, stable and prosperous

Asia-Pacific region. This budget enhances our capacity to respond

quickly and effectively to emerging development challenges, both

within our immediate region and internationally. This will ensure

that Australia continues to make a valuable contribution to

poverty reduction and sustainable development. "

It is impossible for this assurance to the Australian people to be

effective if it is offered as a loan so I think you can be assured

that it will not be repayable. I'm sure that it will not be all

rendered in cash though. Some capacity building will no doubt be

included.

While I am writing let me describe the key themes from the 66 page

budget report. " Australia's aid program serves the national interest by

fostering growth, poverty reduction, peace and stability in the region and

addressing trans-national threats to Australia's security. (Thats

the hard sell to the Australian people)

In 2003-04, Australia's global aid program will provide an estimated AUS$270

million for education; AUS$225 million for health; and AUS$55 million to address

gender equality.

Activities will include: Combating communicable and non-communicable diseases in

the region through a combination of capacity building and direct service

delivery; Continuing the implementation of the AUS$200 million., six year

HIV/AIDS initiative with AUS$60 million to be allocated in 2003-04

including activities agreed with the HIV/AIDS Asia-Pacific

Leadership Forum;

There are numerous other issues related to Water, Security,

Anti-terrorism and sustainable resource management in the Budget

report buit I think that the above prescription is sufficiently

indicative of where the AID grants will be directed in 2003-04.

I hope this helps the questioner and anyone else reading this

forum.

It certainly should help understand the immediate directions for

Australia's share of its commitment to its regional partner

countries of which India is one of 12 in the Papua New Guinea

pacific region; 11 in East Asia and 8 others in South Asia, Africa

and the rest of the world.

Geoffrey

E-mail: <gheaviside@...>