New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced that her country will contribute NZD1 million to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund and NZD29 million for ASEAN countries to deal with impacts of COVID-19.

Particiants to the virtual ASEAN-New Zealand Ministerial Meeting
held digitally on August 5, 2021. 

Mahuta made the announcement at the ASEAN-New Zealand Ministerial Meeting held virtually on August 5. 

The Kiwi diplomat affirmed to attach importance to the relations with ASEAN, pledging to join hand with ASEAN in mitigating the consequences of the pandemic and supporting sustainable recovery. 

New Zealand pays great attention to sustainable development of the Mekong River and has made strong and specific commitments to advancing cooperation with the Mekong Sub-region. 

ASEAN and New Zealand agreed to launch the Plan of Action for the 2021-2025 period, with a focus on supporting each other in COVID-19 containment and sustainable recovery, climate change adaptation, trans-national crime combat.

Both sides affirmed they will continue efforts to support an open, fair and rule-based international multi-lateral trading system and accelerate regional connectivity by upgrading the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and promoting early ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Both sides reiterated they will continue close coordination in maintaining and ensuring peace, security and stability in the region, including security and maritime safety in the East Sea. 

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung underscored the importance of ASEAN-New Zealand strategic partnership for peace, stability, prosperity and sustainable development in the region. 

He suggested New Zealand help ASEAN improve the pandemic response capacity, timely get access to vaccine supply sources, mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and boost economic recovery. 

Regarding the East Sea issue, he underlined that ASEAN countries and New Zealand share interest and responsibility for maintaining peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the East Sea. 

At the meeting, Brunei officially assumed the role as country coordinator of ASEAN-New Zealand relations in the 2021-2024 period./.