Hon Tim Groser
Minister of Trade

23 October 2015

New Zealand opens diplomatic Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta and celebrates business links

The New Zealand Government has officially opened its diplomatic Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Mission was opened by New Zealand’s Trade Minister, Tim Groser, who is visiting Indonesia this week.

“The opening of a New Zealand Mission is a significant demonstration of our commitment to the region. It comes at an important time. This year marks the 40th anniversary of New Zealand’s formal relationship with ASEAN, and also the year that ASEAN will launch the ASEAN Community,” said Mr Groser.

“ASEAN is now home to around 625 million people and has a combined GDP of USD2.4 trillion. Taken as a bloc, ASEAN is now the seventh largest economy in the world and New Zealand’s fourth largest trading partner. ASEAN has become a pillar of New Zealand trade.

While in Jakarta, Minister Groser also warmly welcomed the signing of a contract between New Zealand solar power company, Power Technology ASEAN Ltd, and Indonesian conglomerate, Sekar Group. In the contract the parties agree to work together to develop ASEAN’s first environmentally-sustainable shrimp farm in Sumbawa. Powertech ASEAN will provide the design and installation expertise to the Sekar Group.

“We have long been involved with Indonesia in the development of Indonesia's huge renewable energy production in geothermal power, where New Zealand obviously has world-leading technology.

“It is therefore very pleasing that we are now starting to see that smart New Zealand companies in other areas of the renewable energy equation – in this case, solar – can contribute to Indonesia’s low-carbon energy security,” says Mr Groser.

Minister Groser’s visit to Indonesia is part of a series of events held in ASEAN countries this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of New Zealand-ASEAN relations.

ENDS

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