New Zealand will sign a “strategic partnership” agreement with Malaysia, promising greater co-operation on counter-terrorism and indigenous collaboration.
The decision to sign the partnership document was made at a meeting between New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and her Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur last week.
“We’ve had a long-standing partnership with Malaysia … The strategic partnership will enable us to forge out further opportunities beyond defence and education,” Mahuta said.
“The opportunity to strengthen our security arrangements with Malaysia continue to be key … They’re our third-largest trading partner within the Asean group, so there remains more opportunity in that space.”
The agreement would mean that New Zealand and Malaysia ministers would meet regularly, and the countries would work more closely on regional issues, counter-terrorism, and conduct reviews of the four free trade agreements that cover the relationship.
New Zealand and Malaysia already have an education agreement and both countries are part of the Five-Power Defence Arrangement.
