The City of Auckland, New Zealand, hosted the sixth session of the UAE-New Zealand Joint Economic Committee, which was headed by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, and Phil Twyford, Minister of Transport of New Zealand.

Both sides agreed to develop their economic, commercial and technical co-operation, based on several areas and sectors that are key to their development plans, most notably in commerce, investments, financial services, innovation, SMEs, aviation, food, agriculture, Halal accreditation and renewable energy. This includes signing a free trade agreement between New Zealand and Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, countries, and their participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.

In his speech during the meeting, Al Mansouri stated that the UAE and New Zealand enjoy solid bilateral relations that are based on friendship and mutual respect, and are brought together by dynamic economic ties that have witnessed considerable growth over previous years, which reflects the desire of their governments for closer and ongoing joint co-operation.

He highlighted the key role of the committee as an important political channel to encourage and develop economic, commercial and technical co-operation between the two countries, while stressing that the programme, which was approved during the committee’s current session, will provide an effective roadmap to broaden prospects of economic co-operation, discover further development opportunities, exchange their expertise and strengthen their commercial and investment activities through effective relations that will help consolidate their existing partnership over the upcoming period.

Al Mansouri explained that in 2016, non-oil trade exchange between the two countries reached AED2.3 billion, or US$614 million, while their total exchange of goods and services during the same year reached $1.1 billion The UAE was the largest exporter to New Zealand in the Middle East region in 2016, accounting for over 53 percent of the ME region’s total exports, while it received some 17 percent of the region’s imports from New Zealand, and is its tenth largest international commercial partner.

For his part, the Transportation Minister of New Zealand Phil Twyford said his country is looking forward to strengthening relations with the UAE, a country which he described as an important strategic partner for his country in the Middle East region.

The UAE has managed to develop a model to be copied for sustainable development and notched a pioneering role across multiple domains, especially in areas of aviation, said the minister, citing in this regard the impressive growth model embodied by Emirates, a company which he termed as an international bridge connecting the world together, with more than 30 percent of his country's people using the distinguished services provided by the international carrier, as he put it.

The UAE delegation to the meeting, who provided a comprehensive review of the investment-conducive environment provided by the UAE to world investors, included Mohamed Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehh, the Ministry of Economy Under-Secretary for Economic Affairs, and a number of top ministry executives in addition to UAE Ambassador to New Zealand Saleh Ahmed Salem Al Suwaidi.