General Background

New Zealand became ASEAN's Dialogue Partner in 1975. ASEAN-New Zealand relations have strengthened by building upon areas of mutual interest and comparative advantages of both sides. The dynamism of the dialogue is evident in the new areas that are being explored to further consolidate governmental, commercial and people-to-people linkages.

Institutional Framework

New Zealand participates in a series of consultative meetings with ASEAN which include the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) 9+1 and 9+10, the ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue and the meetings of the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Management Committee. The ASEAN-Wellington Committee also assists in conducting and maintaining the dialogue with New Zealand.

At the apex of the dialogue process is New Zealand's participation in the PMC process immediately following the ASEAN Ministerial Meetings. The PMC 9+1 and 9+10 meetings offer an opportunity for the New Zealand Foreign Minister to review contemporary political, security, economic and development cooperation issues affecting the dialogue with the ASEAN Foreign Ministers. New Zealand also participates in the ARF which takes stock of key regional political and security issues affecting East Asia. Periodic dialogue meetings are held at the level of ASEAN's Directors-General and New Zealand's Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide a more in-depth examination of economic and functional cooperation activities.

A Joint Management Committee was also established to periodically review the operational and implementation aspects of the ASEAN-New Zealand Economic Cooperation Programme (ANZECP), cooperation in science and technology, Trade and Investment Promotion Programme (TIPP) and the Natural Gas Utilisation in Transport (NGUT) programme. The implementation of the TIPP is conducted through the ASEAN-New Zealand Business Council while the implementation of the NGUT is monitored through a Project Steering Committee.

Economic Cooperation

Trade and economic issues figure prominently in the ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relations. The impetus of the dialogue relations between ASEAN and New Zealand has been ASEAN's thrust towards economic development. Overall, New Zealand's share of ASEAN's total trade has remained stable at 0.3%, reaching US$1.6 million in 1995. In recent years, however, there has been a decline in the growth rate of ASEAN's trade with New Zealand. In 1993, the figure was 19.5% while in 1994, it decreased to 9.2%. ASEAN's main exports to New Zealand are machinery parts, electrical appliances and mineral products while New Zealand's major export to ASEAN are livestock, pulp and paper products.

In 1995, ASEAN and CER Trade and Economic Ministers agreed to establish a dialogue to facilitate trade and investment linkages between the two regions. ASEAN and CER Ministers, at their meeting in September 1996, signed an MOU to promote cooperation on standards and conformance. Other areas of joint activity include customs facilitation, information exchange and human resources development. Informal consultations between the ASEAN Economic Ministers and Ministers from the CER countries were also held to improve two way trade and investments.

The Trade and Investment Promotion Programme (TIPP) which commenced in 1991, is an integral component of the ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue, with the goal of promoting trade and investment between the two sides with an emphasis on the expansion of ASEAN exports and New Zealand investments.

Development Cooperation

New Zealand Official Development Assistance (ODA) to ASEAN is channelled through the ASEAN-New Zealand Economic Cooperation Programme (ANZECP), formerly known as the ASEAN Regional Programme.

ASEAN-New Zealand development cooperation activities are spearheaded by the ANZECP. The major long-term objectives of the programme are to achieve sustainable development benefits for ASEAN countries and to facilitate linkages between New Zealand and ASEAN. The ANZECP also incorporates the now completed Inter-Institutional Linkages Programme (IILP), and the ASEAN-New Zealand Co-operation in Science and Technology.

So far, 51 projects have been completed over the 1991-96 period. Apart from noting the extension of the programme until 1997, the JMC held in 1995 supported the facilitation and promotion of links between AFTA and CER and endorsed, proposals for AFTA Seminars in New Zealand, an eco-tourism mission, metrology training and a re-run of the 1994 Environmental Engineering Mission.

New Zealand assistance in the areas of science and technology cover projects in energy and food and material sciences. A project on the use of natural gas was initiated in 1991 for the purpose of developing the use of natural gas for the transport sector, thus contributing to environmental quality. So far, New Zealand is the only Dialogue Partner that has contributed to the ASEAN Science Fund. She has also provided fellowships in ASEAN Affairs at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies based in Singapore.

The Natural Gas Utilisation in Transport (NGUT) Programme started on 1 July 1993. The programme, which spans for five years, has the overall objective of advancing natural gas utilisation in transport within ASEAN. The NGUT, a centrepiece of the ASEAN-New Zealand Energy Development Programme, is now entering into a critical stage as the transfer of diesel engine conversion technology is about to take place. ASEAN and New Zealand have also agreed to undertake a design and planning workshop to expand cooperation in looking into the serious corrosion of transport and communication infrastructure such as, bridges and other corrosion-prone equipment. A project proposal is being finalised as a result of a workshop which was held in Wellington in February 1997 on this subject.

In addition, ASEAN's national science policy authorities are benefiting from a programme that provided an opportunity to closely study the structural reforms New Zealand has carried out in its science management system.

The 13th ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue Meeting held in Hanoi from 28-29 October 1996 provided an opportunity to survey the growing cooperation between ASEAN and New Zealand in the fields of trade, investment, science and technology, environment, tourism and human resources development. Further discussions are envisaged on the possible expansion of cooperation in the ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation programme, small and medium enterprises, sub-regional growth areas in ASEAN, and human resources development.

Current ASEAN-New Zealand Relationship

The 15th ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue was held in Singapore from 3 to 5 June 2002.  The Meeting had candid and wide-ranging discussion on developments affecting ASEAN and New Zealand.  The discussions reinforced the convergence of perspectives on many issues manifesting a sense of shared destiny between two sides.  ASEAN and New Zealand agreed that policy discussions and political dialogue had an important place in the relationship, alongside discussions on development cooperation.  New Zealand briefed ASEAN on the establishment of the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) from 1 July 2002.  The central focus of NZAID’s new policy framework would be poverty alleviation through sustainable development.  The core focus continues to be the Pacific, although ASEAN remains an important area in New Zealand’s global allocation of funds.

Cooperation with New Zealand is also proceeding within the framework of a closer economic partnership (CEP) between AFTA and the Closer Economic Relations (CER) of Australia and New Zealand.  The closer economic partnership aims to promote greater trade and investment flows between the two sides and to narrow the development gap between them.

ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue gained new impetus with the adoption of cost sharing arrangement for funding development cooperation projects. This arrangement was applied in the holding of the Second Regional Seminar for the ASEAN Project on Early Childhood Care and Development, which was held in Bangkok on 3-6 March 2003.  The Eight Meeting of the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Management Committee (JMC), held in Wellington on 6 May 2003, discussed ways to improve the process, coordination, management, and cost-sharing of development cooperation projects.