JAKARTA, 9 July 2021 –ASEAN and New Zealand reaffirmed their commitment to bolster cooperation with new initiatives and activities at the 9th ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Cooperation Committee (ANZJCC) Meeting held virtually today.
At their annual meeting, both sides welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-New Zealand Leaders’ Vision Statement on the 45th Anniversary of ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue Relations last year, which paved the way forward in strengthening the Strategic Partnership.
The meeting reviewed the implementation of the ASEAN-New Zealand Plan of Action (2021-2025) adopted last year, and noted the progress made within the first six months of its implementation, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
ASEAN commended New Zealand’s success in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in their country, as well as its support to ASEAN and Pacific Island countries in mitigating the pandemic. ASEAN appreciated New Zealand’s contribution to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, its support to COVAX facility – an Advance Market Commitment for vaccines for developing countries – as well as its bilateral targeted support to ASEAN Member States
The meeting welcomed development in the upgrade negotiation of the Agreement to establish the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and looked forward to the conclusion of the negotiation for the regional Air Services Agreement between the Governments of the ASEAN Member States and New Zealand to further boost air connectivity and economic recovery in both regions.
The meeting also acknowledged the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement in November last year which signaled both sides’ commitment to an open, inclusive, rules-based trading and investment arrangement.
Moving forward, both sides aim to further strengthen cooperation on a number of areas, such as; good governance, supply chain connectivity, people-to-people linkages, human capital development, education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), health, climate change, sustainable development, biodiversity, smart cities, connectivity, the Initiative for ASEAN Integration and cooperation with Pacific Island countries.
The Permanent Representative of Cambodia to ASEAN, Ambassador Yeap Samnang, and Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the New Zealand Mission to ASEAN Charlie Gillard co-chaired the meeting. Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, as well as officials from ASEAN Member States, New Zealand, and the ASEAN Secretariat were also present.
- ABOUT ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.Menu - WHAT WE DO
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
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ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
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The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
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