Kuala Lumpur, 4 November 2011
ASEAN and New Zealand concluded its 19th ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue, co-chaired by Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahman, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, and H.E. John Allen, Chief Executive and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Highlights of the meeting included reviewing future directions of ASEAN-New Zealand relations. The two sides also assessed recent progress of the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration for ASEAN-New Zealand Comprehensive partnership (2010-2015) and its four flagship initiatives: Disaster Risk Management Programme; ASEAN-New Zealand Scholarships Programme; Young Business Leaders; and Agriculture Diplomacy.
New Zealand said that it will provide more scholarships to ASEAN students to study in higher educational institutions in New Zealand. Agriculture in ASEAN will benefit from New Zealand’s “Agricultural Diplomacy” which aims at sharing New Zealand’s expertise and experience in agriculture with ASEAN. The ASEAN-New Zealand Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was launched at the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit in October last year in Ha Noi, will bring mutual benefits to both sides.
The Plan of Action maps out detailed steps and measures to implement the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Declaration on ASEAN-New Zealand Comprehensive Partnership. It also serves as the master plan to broaden and deepen ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relations in a mutually beneficial manner with the view of strengthening the comprehensive partnership for regional peace, prosperity, and development.
The Meeting agreed to convene the next ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue in New Zealand next year.
