Mutual Assistance Programme
We support capacity building and training for South Pacific and some South East Asian security and defence forces, through the Mutual Assistance Programme.
The Mutual Assistance Programme is one of the key elements of Aotearoa New Zealand's contribution to peace and security in the region, significantly helping to foster strong and enduring people-to-people links over many decades.
We have sent Technical Advisors to the Cook Islands, Timor Leste, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Kingdom of Tonga and Solomon Islands. They’ve held diverse roles ranging from senior appointments such as Deputy Chief of Staff with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, to specialist trade roles including Foreman of Works with the Engineer Platoon of the Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF).
Our Mutual Assistance Training Teams provide instructional support and/or specialist training to the militaries of Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea, and to the VMF.
We also offer NZDF courses to members of military and police forces, covering professional development, commissioning and particular trades or skills.
From time to time the programme also provides equipment to support military or security forces within the South Pacific.