Editing Economy of New Zealand (section)

=== Relationship with Pacific Islands ===
{{See also|Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations|PACER Plus}}

The Pacific region with numerous islands is New Zealand's sixth largest trading market and is growing every year. In 2011 exports to Pacific Islands were worth over $1.5 billion up 12% on the previous year. Fiji is the biggest individual market followed very closely by Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia and New Caledonia. Goods exported to the islands include refined oil, construction materials, medicines, sheep meat, milk, butter, fruit and vegetables.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzte.govt.nz/en/export/export-markets/australia-pacific/pacific-islands/|title=Pacific Islands|date=20 December 2013 |publisher=[[New Zealand Trade and Enterprise]]}}</ref> New Zealand also assists Pacific Islands with defence and regional security, and with management of the environment and fisheries.

Because of their small size, the Pacific Islands are some of the most vulnerable environments in the world and are on the receiving end of numerous cyclones every year. When disasters occur, they often have severe social and economic effects which last for years. Since 1992, New Zealand has co-operated with Australia and France to respond to disasters in the Pacific. New Zealand provides emergency supplies and transport, funding for roading and housing and the deployment of specialists to affected areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mfat.govt.nz/Foreign-Relations/Pacific/index.php|title=Pacific|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027154233/http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Foreign-Relations/Pacific/index.php|archive-date=27 October 2014}}</ref>

Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand also provides international aid and development funding to help stimulate sustainable economic development in underdeveloped economies. The New Zealand Aid Programme, allocated about $550m a year, is focused primarily on promoting development in the Pacific. The allocation of $550 million represents about 0.26% of New Zealand's [[gross national income]] (GNI).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aid.govt.nz/about-aid-programme|title=About the aid programme|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)]]|access-date=26 October 2014|archive-date=7 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007172032/http://www.aid.govt.nz/about-aid-programme|url-status=dead}}</ref>