ASEAN-NEW
ZEALAND
During the 26th Post Ministerial Conferences
in Singapore in July 1993, ASEAN and New
Zealand signed a Ministerial Exchange of Letters
establishing the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint
Management Committee (ANZJMC). The objective
in setting up the ANZJMC is to ensure the
smooth implementation of projects under the
ASEAN-New Zealand Economic Cooperation
(ANZEC) Programme. The ANZJMC will meet
at least once a year at a venue to be agreed upon
by ASEAN and New Zealand.
The ANZJMC had its inaugural meeting in
Wellington in November 1993. The Meeting
reviewed the progress of the three major ongoing
components of the ANZEC Programme, namely:
the Inter-Institutional Linkages Programme (IILP),
the Trade and Investment Promotion Programme
(TIPP), and the Natural Gas Utilization in Transport
Programme (NGUT). In this regard, several
decisions were recommended including the time
table for the completion of projects within the existing
programmes as well as the adoption of a
science and technology programme as a new area
of ASEAN-New Zealand cooperation. ASEAN is
pleased with the overall progress in the implementation
of the TIPP, IILP and NGUT programmes.
New Zealand has conducted a mid-term review
of the Inter-Institutional Linkages Programme
(IILP) in October 1993. The review concluded
that the IILP has made substantial progress in
achieving agreed outputs, particularly over the last
twelve months. Owing to the need for more time
to complete all project activities, the completion
date for the Programme was carried forward to
June 1995.
The prospects of increased trade and investment
between ASEAN and New Zealand were also
discussed during the 12th Dialogue Meeting.
ASEAN recognized that the New Zealand market,
as part of CER, offers attractive prospects for
increased ASEAN exports and investments to that
region. On the other hand, the ASEAN region,
which has experienced remarkable growth rates
in recent years, offers attractive investment opportunities
to New Zealand companies too, especially
with the implementation of AFTA. Continued
collaboration in tourism was supported by both
sides to provide for greater tourist flows and to
stimulate the tourist-related services industry.
The 12th Meeting of the ASEAN-New Zealand
Dialogue was held in Wellington in March 1994.
This was preceded by an ASEAN Preparatory
Meeting in Jakarta in February 1994. ASEAN and
New Zealand exchanged information on the latest
developments pertaining to the ASEAN economies,
the New Zealand economy, as well as on the
Uruguay Round, APEC, ANZCERTA, AFTA, and
EAEC. ASEAN welcomed New Zealand�s initiative
to include science and technology as a new
area of cooperation. A workshop to identify the
priority areas of cooperation in science and technology
will be held in September 1994.