Key facts
- New Zealand and the Philippines have established a comprehensive partnership.
- The partnership focuses on four key areas: political engagement, defense, security, maritime cooperation, trade, economic ties, and people-to-people links.
- Cooperation arrangements were signed in education and geothermal energy.
- The agreement was formalized by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro.
New Zealand and the Philippines have formalized a comprehensive partnership, with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters announcing the agreement on Tuesday. The partnership aims to deepen collaboration across four pillars: political engagement; defense, security, and maritime cooperation; trade and economic ties; and people-to-people links.
During a meeting in Manila, Peters and Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro formalized the agreement, also discussing bilateral and regional issues. Peters stated that the partnership signals the importance New Zealand places on working together to support a stable, rules-based Indo-Pacific.
This year marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations. In addition to the overarching partnership, New Zealand and the Philippines signed two new cooperation arrangements focused on education and geothermal energy. Peters also met with Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and attended an event promoting New Zealand's education cooperation with the Philippines.