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The Panel heard that dairy, conservation, and finance are the three target themes of Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), as these are areas in which Jersey has significant expertise. Whilst discussing ongoing projects linked to these themes, the Panel heard that the third annual African Jersey Forum will be held at the end of June in Malawi. The Forum is a platform for dairy farmers and other stakeholders in Africa with an interest in the Jersey breed to come together and share knowledge and will be attended by dairy farmers from around the world. 

The Panel asked about the Minister’s policy on providing aid to countries where there is believed to be corruption within governments. The Minister noted that this is taken into consideration and that the way in which allocated funds are used is monitored extremely carefully. She added that aid is not given to governments, but only to charities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or the United Nations, with whom there is a pre-existing relationship. 

The Panel also questioned the Minister about the internship programmes accessible to Islanders through the JOA. The Panel heard that the JOA facilitates local people taking up placements with the United Nations to work with refugees, as well as running its own internship programme. The JOA programme supports the development of professional skills over 18 months to enable candidates to pursue a career in international development. The Panel heard that out of the seven interns to have taken part in the scheme, five have continued their careers in international development, with two of them having returned to work for the JOA. 

Deputy Moz Scott, Chair of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel, commented: 

“We were interested to hear about the African Jersey Forum and its role in   promoting Jersey’s reputation and renown as an authority within the dairy sector on the global stage. It was also encouraging to have the Minister confirm that Jersey is at the forefront of following a rigorous due diligence process to avoid giving funds to corrupt regimes. This entails working with reputable agencies and requiring them to account for their spending. This is an area of crucial importance to the Island’s international reputation, and the Panel is supportive of the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission’s efforts to maintain these high standards.”