15 May 2017

East-West Centre mulls survival post Trump cuts

2:18 pm on 15 May 2017

The independent East-West Centre based in Hawaii may look to get extra funding from countries in Asia after proposed budget cuts under the Trump administration.

Many Pacific leaders and scholars have passed through the 57-year-old centre which aims to promote links between the US, Asia and the Pacific.

Richard  Vuylsteke

Richard Vuylsteke Photo: RNZ/ Philippa Tolley

From the end of September the centre will lose all of its $US16.7 million dollars in government money, although the hope is funding of some sort may be restored when the budget for the next financial year gets discussed.

The centre's President Richard Vuylsteke said the main risk was to research and programmes that required federal grants including projects to do with climate change.

"I have great confident in the congress to help make that case. We will do our best - the people we bring here will have a voice. But also I think diversification of funding from more governments and more organistions Asia and Pacific-based, besides the US, is aslo a very healthy thing to do."