ASEAN-NEW ZEALAND


The ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue relationship is a long-standing one and the year under review witnessed further consolidation that continued to build upon areas of mutual interest and comparative advantages. This period also proved to be an important juncture to explore new programme designs and strategies to further strengthen this maturing relationship.

The 13th ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue Meeting held in Hanoi in 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 resource development. On trade and investment linkages, ASEAN and New Zealand agreed to further examine the potential for establishing an ad-hoc ASEAN-New Zealand Experts Group on Trade and Investment to determine ways to enhance trade and investment flows. Further discussions are envisaged on the possible expansion of cooperation in the ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation programme, Small and Medium Enterprises, subregional growth areas in ASEAN, and human resource development.

The ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue relationship is a long-standing one and the year under review witnessed further consolidation that continued to build upon areas of mutual interest and comparative advantages

Held in Hanoi in October 1996, the Fourth Meeting of the Joint Management Committee of the ASEAN-New Zealand Economic Cooperation provided an opportunity for detailed discussion of specific activities and programme strategy. The ANZECP's long-term objectives are to achieve sustainable development benefits for ASEAN countries and facilitate linkages between New Zealand and ASEAN. The ANZECP incorporates ASEAN-New Zealand Cooperation in Science and Technology, the Trade and Investment Promotion (TIPP), and the ASEAN-New Zealand Energy Development Programme.

In the area of science and technology collaboration, ASEAN and New Zealand agreed to undertake a design and planning workshop for expanded cooperation to tackle serious corrosion of transport and communication infrastructure such as bridges and other corrosion-prone equipment. A programme proposal is being finalized as a result of the workshop which was held in Wellington in February 1997.

Also in the area of science and technology, ASEAN national science policy authorities are benefiting from a programme that provided an opportunity to closely study the structural reforms New Zealand has carried out of its science management system. Under the subsequent phase, New Zealand's science policy advisors are scheduled to provide advisory services to interested ASEAN national science policy makers. An important component of cooperation in the science and technology sector, ASEAN and New Zealand are carrying out a fine tuning of the financing and formulation process of cooperation in biotechnology.

A more proactive and expanded role for the Trade and Investment Promotion Programme in the future has been emphasized in ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue relations. There is a need to stem the falling growth rate of ASEAN's trade with New Zealand which stood at 9.2 percent compared to 19.5 percent between 1993 and 1994. Overall, New Zealand's share of 0.3 percent in ASEAN's total trade has remained stable over the period 1993 to 1995, reaching US$1.6 billion in 1995. Consequently, enhanced preparation and organization will be key objectives when operationalising the formation of strategic business alliances and joint ventures, on which the TIPP is pivoted.

Under ASEAN-New Zealand Cooperation in Energy Development, the Natural Gas Utilization in Transport (NGUT) Programme, which started in July 1993, aims at advancing natural gas utilisation in transport within ASEAN, specifically by emphasizing technology transfer and commercialisation of R&D results. The project entered into a critical stage since important technology transfer work on diesel engine conversion technology took place during July 1996-June 1997.