Image of food aid, on Flickr
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CATH NEWS REPORT-Aid organisations Caritas Australia and Compassion have welcomed the Australian Government's response to an independent aid review and labelled it "significant", according to media releases by both.
"Today's announcement demonstrates a strong whole of Government commitment to see Australian aid achieve targeted and measurable outcomes for the poorest of the poor," said Caritas Australia's CEO Jack de Groot.In the most comprehensive review of Australia's Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in 15 years, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Kevin Rudd, has committed the Government to more accountable, transparent and effective delivery of aid in the world's poorest communities, Caritas said.
"It is a welcome commitment mandated not only by our obligation to the vulnerable communities we serve, but also by the Australia public who so generous support Australia's aid program.
"The Government's response puts health, education, livelihoods, justice and emergency preparedness at the forefront of Australia's aid program; we're encouraged to see this commitment to the poor at the heart of public policy.
"Bolstered by robust, accountable and reciprocal partnerships with Australian NGOs, multilateral organisations and community organisations, the Government's framework for aid presents exciting new opportunities to achieve authentic and lasting change for more than 1 billion people living in abject and dehumanising poverty."
International Christian child development and advocacy organisation Compassion decribed Mr Rudd's annoucement as a "series of significant commitments that could benefit the lives of millions of children living in poverty around the world".
Compassion's Executive Director of Child Advocacy, DJ Konz said: "It's encouraging that the Government has accepted all but one of the 39 recommendations made by the Review panel, and even gone beyond the recommendations in a few areas. The outcomes should lead to a stronger, more transparent aid program, with a very commendable central focus on poverty eradication."
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