Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy visits New Zealand to enhance bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, and cultural fields

Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, visited New Zealand from May 1 to 2 to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the economic, trade, and cultural fields.

During the visit, Her Excellency met with Her Excellency Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand; His Excellency Damien O'Connor, Minister of Commerce; and His Excellency James Shaw, Minister of Climate Change, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations and develop investment and economic opportunities between the two countries.

Her Excellency expressed her hope for New Zealand’s high-level participation in the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which is scheduled to be held in Expo City Dubai in November.

During the visit, Her Excellency held a meeting with Jenny Salesa, Assistant Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade, to discuss a number of issues of common interest such as trade and cultural cooperation.

Her Excellency also met with New Zealand businesspeople in the food, sustainability, and innovation sectors to discuss ways to enhance trade cooperation between the two countries, especially in light of the UAE’s signing of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with India, Indonesia, Israel, and Turkey, emphasizing the importance of the private sector in enhancing economic cooperation between the UAE and New Zealand.

Her Excellency remarked that bilateral cooperation between the two countries includes a number of vital areas, such as agriculture, renewable energy, and health, underscoring the UAE's commitment to strengthening cooperation with New Zealand in all fields, especially with regards to companies with expertise in the fields of technology and innovation.

Her Excellency commended the New Zealand community in the UAE, which includes approximately 3,500 people, expressing her appreciation for its contributions.

For their part, New Zealand officials underlined their appreciation and gratitude to Emirates Airline and the role it plays in connecting their companies and people with the world through 7 weekly flights.

At the end of the visit, Her Excellency Mahuta held a dinner banquet dedicated to Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy and the accompanying delegation.