Cross-regional programs
Program 1.9
Not Met 
Partially Met 
Met
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2013–14 |
2014–15 |
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To assist developing countries by contributing to reducing poverty and lifting living standards through sustainable economic growth. |
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2013–14 |
2014–15 |
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Achievement of significant development results. |
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Overview
Cross-regional programs are funding allocations that benefit a number of regions and promote development outcomes in priority sectors for Australia’s aid program. They are separate to programs managed under bilateral and multilateral arrangements.
Direct Aid Program
The Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a valuable, development and public diplomacy tool. DAP has a wide geographical reach and supports local community efforts towards poverty reduction.
DAP provided $22 million in ODA funding in 2014–15 to over 850 projects in more than 130 developing countries. These projects achieved a range of outcomes in fields including humanitarian relief, education, health, food security, gender equality, human rights and capacity building.
DAP was administered through 66 of the department’s overseas posts and delivered by community groups, non-government organisations, not-for-profit private organisations and individuals. Posts’ DAP strategies guide the selection of projects to ensure they provide practical development results and represent good value for money.
Government and public sector support
The Government Partnerships for Development (GPFD) program completed a second call for projects, bringing the current number of approved projects to 24 with a combined value of $41 million. GPFD supports capacity-building activities involving Australian government agencies and public universities working with their counterparts in the Indo–Pacific region. Projects run for a maximum of three years. Those commenced in 2014–15 included an Australian Maritime Safety Authority project to improve the capability of national search and rescue services in the Indian Ocean and a University of Canberra project promoting mathematics in Indonesia.
The Public Sector Linkages Program (PSLP) commenced in 2004 and has funded over 500 public sector capacity building initiatives in developing countries, involving Australian government agencies and public universities. At the beginning of 2014–15, there were 75 activities being delivered in partner countries. The PSLP is now drawing down and is scheduled to cease in June 2016.
Cross-regional health initiatives
The department supported Australia’s leadership role in regional efforts to reduce malaria, through the Asia–Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA). This culminated in a commitment by leaders at the East Asia Summit (EAS) in November 2014 to an Asia–Pacific free of malaria by 2030. As an APLMA co-chair with Vietnam, we agreed to present a plan for achieving this goal at the next EAS.
Together with the innovationXchange, the global health program is contributing to Bloomberg Philanthropies on a ‘data for health’ initiative to help countries improve data on births, deaths and risk factors for early deaths. Better data will help governments target their public health resources more effectively. The Foreign Minister also announced funding of $30 million over three years, from 2014–15, to support Product Development Partnerships, which are bringing new diagnostic tests and drugs to market to combat tuberculosis and malaria.
The department contributed more than $37 million to the international response to Ebola in West Africa. (See Progress against Australia’s development policy and performance framework.)
Water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives
The department supported 13 civil society organisations to improve access to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene for 3.5 million people in the Indo–Pacific region by 2018. Three grants were provided under an Impact and Innovation Fund to trial new approaches to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene delivery. Two major learning events for fund partners were also held to improve their effectiveness in working with local governments and community committees, increasing the sustainability of results.
Rights and services for people with disability
Australia’s disability-inclusive development initiatives aim to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in developing countries. The department provided support to the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund, the Pacific Disability Forum, and the International Disability Alliance.
We also work with UN agencies to support implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We commenced two new partnerships with the UN Statistical Division and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics to strengthen disability data collection and analysis globally.
Maximising development benefits from energy and resources
The department supported developing countries to implement more effective policies and regulations to improve development outcomes from their mineral and energy investments. We partnered with universities to share Australian expertise in mining governance through the International Mining for Development Centre, and funded the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the World Bank Extractive Industries Technical Assistance Facility, the Natural Resources Governance Institute and a new APEC Mining Sub Fund.