On 10 September 2020, H.E. Mr. Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum, Deputy Permanent Secretary, on behalf of H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, participated in ASEAN- New Zealand Ministerial Meeting via videoconference.

The Meeting welcomed the full implementation of the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Statement for ASEAN-New Zealand Strategic Partnership (2016-2020) and adopted the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-New Zealand Strategic Partnership (2021-2025). Both sides also looked forward to the ASEAN-New Zealand Leaders’ Summit to be held later this year.

ASEAN expressed appreciation for New Zealand’s initiatives in strengthening people-to-people linkages, including scholarships, training and exchange programmes. Both sides discussed the areas of cooperation to be further promoted, including COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, transnational crimes, counter-terrorism and violent extremism, cybersecurity, as well as the upgrade of the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, and air services cooperation.

On this occasion, Thailand invited New Zealand to work with ASEAN towards the post-COVID-19 recovery with the early implementation of RCEP Agreement following its signing and upgrade of AANFTA Agreement. Another area of cooperation could also include sustainable development cooperation such as environmental protection, pollution at sea, plastic marine debris, marine conservation, climate change and sustainable agriculture. Thailand would also welcome New Zealand’s cooperation with the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD).