Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Opening remarks
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa. Greetings to you all.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the New Zealand Government about how we can uphold the multilateral trading system, and build capacity in science, technology, and innovation in developing countries.
Upholding the multilateral trading system
I’d like to tackle the trade aspect of this session first.
The international trade architecture that has been in place since the end of World War Two has contributed to creating economic conditions that have lifted millions out of poverty globally. It has also helped New Zealand to remain a competitive exporter despite our size and geographic remoteness.
But the stability provided by the international trade system is no longer guaranteed.
The growing disregard for international trading rules and norms is bad for everyone and has outsized impacts on developing and trade dependent economies.
New Zealand's most important trade priority is to uphold the multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organisation at its core.
We must push back against the use and threat of trade measures that are outside the agreed rules; including trade tariffs, non tariff barriers and trade distorting subsidies.
Through the WTO and regional free trade agreements, New Zealand will advocate for appropriately sequenced and paced trade liberalisation that opens up markets for developing country exporters.
Through our international development cooperation, we will continue to support businesses in developing countries – particularly in sectors like agriculture – to move beyond commodity production to produce higher quality products and services, such as well branded food products, that attract higher prices.
Support for science, technology, and innovation capacity building
Turning now to Science, Technology and Innovation, New Zealand is very supportive of the corresponding chapter of the Compromiso de Sevilla.
We must take steps to address the digital divide and support all countries to harness the full potential of technology. In particular, we see digital technologies as a critical enabler of development in Small Island Developing States in the Pacific, helping them to overcome the challenges posed by small size and geographic remoteness. This is expressed in the Compromiso de Sevilla as supporting the SIDS Centre of Excellence innovation in technology as a mechanism to provide capacity building, learning opportunities, exchange experiences, and support innovation in SIDS.
New Zealand will continue to support developing countries to close the digital divide. In the Pacific, we support both the development of core infrastructure (i.e. laying undersea cables and domestic fibre networks) and initiatives that strengthen local capacity to manage it.
The education system has a critical role to play in improving capacity in science and technology. In the Compromiso this is described with ambitions towards building the science, innovation, and technology workforce of the future with scholarships for developing countries, cultural and academic exchanges for students in STEM fields between developed and developing countries, and promotion of vocational education, training and skills in STEM including through public-private partnerships and engagement with the industry. New Zealand addresses this ambition with core support to educational institutions in partner countries. In these places, we are assisting professionals and the adult workforce in upskilling in new technologies and artificial intelligence. For example, through our Partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning we are supporting women to learn about technology, enhancing employability, fostering entrepreneurship, and cultivating digital leadership within their community.
As an emerging technology, along with innovative use of data, the Compromiso de Sevilla provides equitable and inclusive access to and development of artificial intelligence, along with leveraging non-traditional data sources, including administrative records, geospatial information, mobile data, citizen generated data and remote sensing.
We should remember that science, technology, and innovation are not just about the internet and digital services. Farmers, businesses, tour operators and processors also need access to scientific research and technology. They need to be innovative in the way they reach international consumers, and meet the increasing demands for traceability and sustainability. They need to effectively adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. New Zealand offers a range of support to build scientific and innovation capacity in developing countries, with a focus on the Pacific and Southeast Asia. We take a practical approach to scientific research, with particular strengths in agriculture. We draw on this expertise to build the capacity of partner research agencies and smallholder farmers.
We also work to improve adoption of digital technology and services amongst Pacific businesses to improve their competitiveness and links to customers in international markets.
To conclude, I thank you once again for this opportunity to contribute to this discussion about strengthening the multilateral trading system, and harnessing the potential of science, technology, and innovation.