November 21, 2024
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
Good afternoon, everyone. It is a privilege to be here with you today and to talk a bit about the enduring and dynamic partnership between New Zealand and the United States.
As I am sure you are well aware, the American people made their voices heard in the presidential election and re-elected Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States.
While I don’t have a crystal ball, sadly, and can’t speculate on future policies of a new administration, but what I want to stress today is the New Zealand-U.S. relationship is a relationship built on shared values, mutual respect, and a deep commitment to peace, prosperity, and progress.
In addition to the change of administrations at the top in Washington, we will also experience a change in leadership of the U.S. Mission in New Zealand. We have been privileged to have Ambassador Tom Udall for the past three years. Under his leadership we have accomplished much together to strengthen our bilateral relationship and ensure peace, security, and prosperity around the world.
As with any transition, now is a good opportunity to take stock of what we have achieved under his leadership over the past few years.
Since emerging from the dark days of COVID, we have seen the pace of engagement significantly increase, beginning at the top.
Prime Minister Ardern visited Washington in May 2022. Her meeting with President Biden advanced our partnership and set the tone for our work since then.
Likewise, President Biden met Prime Minister Luxon in Washington this past July at the NATO Summit.
Here in New Zealand, we welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Blinken for a visit in June 2023 to strengthen our bilateral ties. And Minister of Foreign Affairs Peters and Secretary Blinken issued a Joint Declaration on our partnership during his visit to Washington in April.
We have seen numerous other visits in both directions from members of our Cabinets, legislators, senior officials, and cultural representatives. I could go on and on.
Over the years, New Zealand and the United States have stood together with our likeminded partners and allies through every major global crisis.
We have worked together to respond to crises around the world like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, attacks against shipping in the Red Sea, the climate crisis, and the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Our countries share a deep and long-standing commitment to democratic institutions, the rules-based international order, and respect for international rule of law. We have stood together in the UN and other forums to uphold those principles.
We also share a stake in preserving an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
To support those values and principles, New Zealand and the United States are engaging in practical ways within cooperative frameworks in the region, including the Pacific Islands Forum, Quad, AUKUS’ Pillar 2, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.
We have welcomed New Zealand’s increasing engagement with NATO and its partnership with the Indo-Pacific democracies of New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and the ROK.
Our nations also share deep ties and commitments to the Pacific Islands. We have worked together to advance a more prosperous and resilient Pacific region, guided by the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
Now, as PM Luxon has said, national security and economic security are inextricably linked. That’s why we have prioritized working with New Zealand to develop stronger trade links and enhance economic opportunity in both our countries.
New Zealand has been a critical leader and partner in our efforts to build the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for prosperity.
This forward-looking agreement focuses on what’s most important to our shared prosperity:
Our efforts to build trade links are paying off. Today, the trade and economic relationship between our countries is robust, and the United States remains one of New Zealand’s largest trading partners. From tourism to agricultural exports, our economic ties are strong and continue to grow, benefiting both our nations in terms of jobs, investment, and opportunities.
In less than five years, trade has grown from NZ$20 billion (US$12 billion) to NZ$27 billion (US$16 billion), led by red meat, wine, tourism.
We have seen New Zealand exports to the United States grow year over year, and the United States is now New Zealand’s second-largest export destination.
While much of that trade is related to New Zealand’s traditional primary industries, we have seen a steady expansion of our high tech and innovation relationship. Trade and investment links in film, aerospace, tourism, and other service industries have flourished, increasing prosperity in both our countries.
To help push this forward, we concluded the U.S.-New Zealand Space Framework Agreement in 2022 and hosted the NASA Administrator for a visit in 2023. And we established new bilateral dialogues, including our Space Dialogue, and the high-level launch of our Critical and Emerging Tech Dialogue this past August.
Looking ahead and building on these advancements in our relationship with New Zealand, I have no doubt that we will continue to work closely together on shared concerns and to advance a shared vision for the world.
While I cannot comment on the specifics of President-elect Trump’s future policies, I can say that our shared values, interests, and view of the world will remain unchanged.
Our strong partnership has continued to strengthen through multiple U.S. Administrations, including the first Trump Administration.
In 2018, President Trump signed the Knowledgeable Innovators and Worthy Investors (KIWI) Act. This granted New Zealanders access to E1 and E2 entrepreneur and investors visas to the United States, boosting our trade relationship.
Since the last Trump Administration, the world has changed in many ways. The world has become more complex and more contested. Against this backdrop, it is more important than ever for free societies to work together in support of a freer, more just world.
As the world faces new challenges, we believe the only solution is to deepen cooperation with likeminded partners.
That has been the essence of our partnership with New Zealand in the past and it will continue to be the basis of our friendship for years to come.
New Zealand and the United States enjoy a close and dynamic relationship—one that spans not only trade but also innovation, education, security, environmental initiatives, and people to people ties.
As we look to the future, I am sure that the relationship between New Zealand and the United States will continue to flourish, underpinned by our shared interests and the close ties between our peoples. By working together, we can continue to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and address the global challenges that impact us all.
I feel very privileged to be here in Auckland supporting the U.S.-New Zealand partnership, and I want to thank you all for your ongoing support and engagement. I look forward to working to continue to strengthen our friendship and partnership as we face the future together.
Thank you, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Source: https://www.nzuscouncil.org/
