Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications Dr David Clark welcomes Amazon’s Web Services’ (AWS) decision to establish a Cloud Region on New Zealand shores, further boosting New Zealand’s growing digital sector, and providing a vote of confidence in the direction of New Zealand’s economic recovery.

“Amazon is the second major global tech provider to invest heavily in establishing a Cloud Region in New Zealand, bringing with it new jobs, exciting new opportunities for the digital sector, and further acceleration to our economic recovery from COVID-19,” David Clark said.

“This investment, is estimated to be around $7.5 billion and demonstrates the high level of confidence the international business community has in backing New Zealand’s economy. Our economic stability continues to create appealing investment opportunities despite the challenges facing all communities and businesses around the world.

“This will create job opportunities for industries like our construction sector, and bring long term benefits as we see the ICT sector and local innovators significantly grow into the future. We may be a small, island nation a long way from traditional markets, but the borderless digital world continues to present us with new innovative economic opportunities.

“Cloud-based technologies are generally accepted now as being the way to work and innovate digitally; an example of this is the COVID-19 Tracer App. As such, Cloud is a foundation for our aspirations as a digital nation.

“Cloud capabilities will play an important part in our Digital Economy, Digital Public Service and Cyber plans going forward.

“Today’s news means that the Government, local businesses and communities, will soon have access to the scale and security of two of the world’s biggest Cloud service providers, from here in Aotearoa.

“Protecting Kiwis’ data and privacy is critically important to the Government. Onshore Cloud facilities give us stronger control of New Zealand’s data because it is held here, where our laws and protections apply.

“This is a step forward for New Zealand’s digital maturity, as we all increasingly adjust to the increasingly digital world,” David Clark said.

AWS’ decision to establish a New Zealand Cloud Region was made through the company’s independent due diligence and is not a government procurement.

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