KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today hailed Asean’s partnership with New Zealand, as the bloc met at a summit to commemorate half a century of diplomatic cooperation and a free trade agreement.
Anwar thanked New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, describing him as a close friend of the region during a luncheon held with other leaders from Asean member states here.
“We have been together for 50 years… we consider you a great friend, a great team, and I have no doubt that our colleagues in Asean share the same sentiment,” the prime minister said in a brief speech delivered during the luncheon.
Malaysia and New Zealand are looking to conclude the review of the Malaysia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (MNZFTA) by the end of this year. The deal was inked 16 years ago.
New Zealand is one of the five Dialogue Partners of Asean that signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on November 15, 2020.
Total two-way trade between the bloc and New Zealand reached USD 12.66 billion in 2024, according to Asean Secretariat’s preliminary statistics.
Asean is New Zealand’s third largest trading partner, accounting for a tenth of the country’s total trade in 2023.
MORE TO COME
