Background

Although officially admitted as an Associate Member Country on November 12, 1973, New Zealand's cooperative relations with SEAMEO began prior to this when she awarded scholarships to nationals of SEAMEO Member States to participate in diploma and certificate courses at the English Language Institute of Victoria University. Prior cooperation also included the provision of experts for the SEAMEO Regional Language Centre (RELC) in Singapore, and the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (RECSAM) in Penang, Malaysia.

Development and Forms of Assistance

SEAMEO Educational Development Fund

The SEAMEO Educational Development Fund (SEAMEO EDF) was established in 1971 to serve as a repository for gifts to SEAMEO for support of Special Funds requirements. Since F.Y. 1974/75, New Zealand has made contributions towards the SEAMEO EDF, in the form of Untied, Tied and Special Contributions.

Contributions which are unrestricted in nature are designated as Untied, and are allocated to the appropriate Centre/Project by the SEAMEO Secretariat. Contributions which are restricted for use by a particular Centre/Project or for a particular category of Special Funds are classified as Tied Funds. Between F.Y. 1973/74 and F.Y. 1989/90, New Zealand contributed US$ 608,318.18 in Untied funds.

Commencing F.Y. 1988/89, New Zealand began designating her contributions as Tied Funds. These contributions were earmarked for scholarships for participants from SEAMEO Member Countries, with emphasis on female participants. Between F.Y. 1988/89 and F.Y. 1997/98, New Zealand contributed US$ 177,915 in Tied Funds.

Support for SEAMEO Centres/Project

Over the years, New Zealand has also assisted SEAMEO in the provision of short-term consultancies and funding for special courses at Centres such as SEAMEO RELC, RECSAM, INNOTECH and SPAFA.

New Zealand proved to be very reliable when in 1975, SEAMEO INNOTECH was forced to temporarily relocate from the Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to Bangkok due to political changes in Indochina. In response to an appeal from the SEAMEO Secretariat Director, New Zealand contributed US$ 20,000 to defray capital and operating costs of the Centre.

Current Programmes/Projects in the Region

Currently New Zealand contributes annually to the SEAMEO EDF, in Tied Contributions.