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New Zealand has a friendly and positive relationship with Brunei Darusslam. New Zealand and Brunei enjoy a degree of cooperation in many areas including trade, investment, education and defence.
Much of the past contact between New Zealand and Brunei has been in the context of Brunei's membership of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Brunei attaches the highest importance to its ASEAN membership and has participated actively in that organisation. The end of Brunei’s three-year role as NewZealand’s ASEAN Dialogue country coordinator in July 2000 coincided with the 25th anniversary of NZ-ASEAN Dialogue relations.
Brunei and New Zealand also work together in the East Asia Summit, APEC, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. Brunei is also a member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
Two-way trade between New Zealand and Brunei is moderate, with trade totalling NZ$630 million for the year ending June 2010. New Zealand’s exports to Brunei were around NZ$3.61 million in the year ending December 2010. Main exports continue to be dairy products, valued at about NZ$2 million and fish products, NZ$0.52 million. The official trade figures, however, do not reflect considerable quantities of New Zealand products shipped to Brunei from traders based in Singapore and Malaysia. The level of Brunei investment in New Zealand is not well recorded, partly because much of it enters indirectly via Singapore institutions.
NewZealand’s imports from Brunei are nearly exclusively crude oil, the volume of which fluctuates widely from year to year. Crude oil imports in the year ending December 2010 reached NZ$626 million compared to NZ$186 million in 2006. Non-petroleum imports to December 2010 amounted to NZ$114,000.
In August 2005 Brunei signed the Trans Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (better known as P4) with Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. The P4 Agreement is a key aspect of New Zealand’s relations with Brunei, as is the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, which entered into force for both Brunei and New Zealand on 1 January 2010. Negotiations for an expanded P4 Agreement – the Trans-Pacific Partnership - began in March 2010.
NewZealand and Brunei signed a liberal Air Services Agreement in March 1999 replacing a 1995 Agreement. Brunei and NewZealand are partners in a multilateral “open skies” agreement, the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalization of International Air Transportation, which was signed in Washington in 2001, In October 2003 Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) began a four flight per week service to Auckland, via Brisbane. Currently RBA operates five non-stop flights per week between Bandar Seri Begawan and Auckland using B767 aircraft
Brunei nationals visiting NewZealand for periods of up to three months do not require a visa. In 1999 Brunei extended its visa waiver for NewZealand citizens visiting Brunei from 14 days to 30 days.
There are more than 150 New Zealanders (including children) living in Brunei. A significant number are employed as teachers in Brunei schools and colleges. There are also a number of New Zealand pilots and engineers working for Royal Brunei Airlines. Other New Zealanders work in Brunei’s oil and gas sector and as professional consultants.
There is an officially registered New Zealand Association in Brunei which aims to represent the interests of the expatriate New Zealand community in Brunei and to be a focal point for social and community activities. The Association can be reached at: www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NZinBrunei.
NewZealand has a small but significant defence relationship with Brunei. Military exercises, training assistance and annual discussions under the Mutual Assistance Programme have helped to develop a relationship of substance and value for both countries. New Zealand’s army officer cadet school train regularly in Brunei’s jungle training areas.
In 2010, there were 71 fee-paying students from Brunei enrolled in NewZealand (70 of them at universities and one at a polytechnic). (Brunei maintains there are more than 100 Brunei students in New Zealand universities, currently.) Otago University has a Memorandum of Understanding with Brunei under which it takes a small number of medical and dental students. Lincoln University also has links with Brunei. Brunei regularly recruits New Zealand teachers, and more than 50 are currently working there.
Brunei Darussalam implemented a revised national education system in 2009 with the aim of developing a more knowledge-based society. The current system is modelled on the UK education system, which seeks to enable multiple pathways to further and higher education.
There are more than 270 schools, colleges and tertiary education establishments in Brunei Darussalam with 110,000 students in 2008. Education up to university level is provided free for Brunei Darussalam citizens. The literacy rate is 94 percent and Brunei Darussalam is tracking well against its UNESCO Education for All goals.
Brunei Darussalam has hosted the South East Asia Ministers of Education (SEAMEO) Vocational and Technical Education (VOCTECH) Regional Centre since 1990.
High-level visits from and to Brunei Darussalam, have cemented the bilateral relationship
Recent visits to Brunei Darussalam include:
Recent visits from Brunei Darussalam include:
Official Name |
Negara Brunei Darussalam |
Land Area |
5, 765 sq km |
Population |
406, 200 (2009 estimate) |
Capital City |
Bandar Seri Begawan |
Religion |
Islam |
Language |
Bahasa Melayu / English |
Currency |
Brunei dollar |
Exchange Rate |
1NZD = 0.97BND (May 2011) |
Political system |
Sultanate |
Head of State and Government |
HM Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah |
Key Ministers |
Finance: HM Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah |
Main political parties |
Parti Pembangunan - National Development Party – is the only legal political party in Brunei. |
(IMF, *Economist Intelligence Unit, March 2011)
GDP |
US$12.2 billion (2010 est.) |
GDP (PPP) |
US$19,674 billion (2009 est.) |
GDP per capita (PPP) |
US$49,109 (2009 est.) |
Real GDP growth |
1% (2010 estimate)* |
Exports |
US$6.8 billion (2008) |
Imports |
US$2 billion (2008) |
Main exports |
Crude oil & Liquefied Natural Gas |
Unemployment rate |
4% (2009 est) |
Inflation |
1.2% (2010 est.) * |
(Statistics New Zealand June 2010)
NZ Exports (FOB) |
NZ$3.7 million (not including indirect trade via Singapore and Malaysia) |
Main Exports |
Main exports include: Butter: $1.3 m Fresh milk : $0.331 m |
NZ Imports (CIF) |
NZ$ 468 million |
Main Imports |
Crude Oil (nearly 100% of total imports). |
The New Zealand High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is accredited to Brunei.
The New Zealand High Commission
21st Floor, Menara IMC
8 Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Phone: (+60 3) 2078 2533
Fax: (+60 3) 2078 0387
Email: nzhckl@po.jaring.my
Website: www.nzembassy.com/malaysia [external link].
Office hours: Mon-Thurs: 0830-1630, Fri 0830-1600
The New Zealand Defence Advisor and the New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur are also formally accredited to Brunei. New Zealand has an Honorary Consul in Brunei, based in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Brunei has a non-resident High Commissioner to New Zealand, based in Brunei.
The Brunei Darussalam High Commission
c/- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Jalan Subok, BD 2710
Bandar Seri Begawan
Brunei Darussalam
Phone: (673 2) 261 177
Fax: (673 2) 262 476
Email: bruneihc.nz@mfa.gov.bn
Office hours: Mon-Thurs: 0745-1630, Saturday: 0745-1630, Office closed Friday and Sunday
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Brunei [external link].
