The Government of New Zealand has announced an additional support package of 10 million New Zealand dollars — equivalent to over 707 million vatu — to assist the Vanuatu Government in recovery efforts following the December 17, 2024 earthquake.

This new commitment builds on New Zealand’s earlier contribution of more than 27 million vatu in immediate disaster response after the earthquake struck.

Speaking at a press conference in Port Vila today, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Winston Peters, reaffirmed New Zealand’s trust in the Vanuatu Government to responsibly manage the funding.

“You have to have trust,” Minister Peters said. “In our ministerial conversation an hour ago, we spoke with people we can place our trust in. At the end of the day, there can be an announcement of accountability — not just with a full stop — but with oversight from New Zealand. Our past experiences show that trust can work well when it is managed properly.”

Minister Peters highlighted the longstanding relationship between Vanuatu and New Zealand and stressed the importance of continued collaboration in disaster recovery and resilience efforts.