Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced more New Zealand humanitarian assistance to Gaza amid Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas, alongside an aid package for war-torn Sudan.
The package is worth $6 million in total.
Peters said early this morning that New Zealand will provide $2 million to the United Nations 2720 Mechanism for Gaza. The Mechanism "prioritises, accelerates and maximises the impact of aid flows into Gaza to help meet urgent needs".
More than half a million people face ‘catastrophic’ hunger unless more food can enter. (Source: Breakfast)
The Government will also send $4 million to support "lifesaving humanitarian protection and assistance for conflict-affected Sudanese communities in Sudan and its neighbouring countries, including Egypt".
He made the announcement from Cairo, Egypt's capital, where he is meeting with the Egyptian Government and the Arab League.
"There are huge and urgent humanitarian needs in both Gaza and Sudan, and it is important that New Zealand continues to make its contribution to international efforts to meet them," Peters said.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister has pledged $4 million to those affected by Sudan's civil war and $2 million towards aid in Gaza. (Source: 1News)
"My discussions in Cairo with the Egyptian Government and the Arab League have underscored the urgency of coordinated international action to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ensure a rapid, massive and sustained increase in humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in desperate need.
"New Zealand stands with Egypt, the Arab League and the overwhelming consensus of the international community in calling on all parties to comply with last week's UNSC resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire."
He said that talks on the visit had included discussion of the "the broader Arab world's priorities and perspectives, including when it comes to achieving a sustainable, two-state solution" in the Middle East.
Today's announcement means New Zealand has now pledged $17 million in humanitarian assistance to "address urgent humanitarian needs in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict since the events of October 2023".
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