26 Apr 2014

Aviation boost for Kiribati Christmas Island

12:39 pm on 26 April 2014

New Zealand says it will invest in aviation links and renewable energy for Kiribati's Christmas Island.

This comes as the foreign minister, Murray McCully, signed a joint declaration with the government of Kiribati and the European Union to support renewable energy projects on the island.

He says an estimated five million US dollars will be spent to enable the airport to secure the future of critical air connections, which in turn will underpin the growth of tourism and fisheries in Christmas Island.

New Zealand will also help develop the island's airport which to date is used by a lone commercial carrier, Fiji Airways.