Indonesia and New Zealand Reaffirm Comprehensive Partnership at 12th Joint Ministerial Commission Meeting
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono of Indonesia and New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters co-chaired the 12th Indonesia–New Zealand Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Friday. The meeting served as a platform to review the first year of implementation of the 2025–2029 Action Plan, which was adopted during the 11th JMC in Auckland, and to chart the path forward for enhanced bilateral cooperation.
In their remarks, both ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to deepening the comprehensive partnership under the framework of the Action Plan. “This step is important to strengthen bilateral relations and realize the goals contained in the 2025–2029 Action Plan,” Minister Sugiono stated.
The discussions covered a wide range of priority areas, including the economy, trade, investment, education, and people-to-people ties. In the economic domain, the ministers agreed to promote more balanced and sustainable trade relations, with the shared goal of reaching a bilateral trade volume of 6 billion New Zealand dollars (US$3.62 billion) by 2029. Measures such as streamlined import policies and increased collaboration in the food and agriculture sectors were highlighted as key to achieving this target.
Minister Sugiono also expressed gratitude for New Zealand’s support of Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals program, an initiative spearheaded by President Prabowo Subianto to improve national food security and child welfare.
Education cooperation was another key agenda item, with the Indonesian minister applauding the increased quota of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme (MNZSP) for Indonesian students. He expressed hope that the Arrangement on Education Cooperation, currently under discussion, would help strengthen human capital development, especially among the youth.
The two sides also explored potential in sports collaboration, with Sugiono highlighting rugby as a powerful medium for youth engagement and cultural exchange. “Rugby is one of New Zealand’s sporting icons, and I believe sports like rugby can be a strong bridge of friendship between our young generations,” he said.
A Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on halal standards was also agreed upon, marking a significant step forward in supporting the growth of the halal industry and catering to consumer needs in both countries.
On regional cooperation, both ministers emphasized the importance of reinforcing collaboration in the Pacific region, particularly through active engagement in regional mechanisms such as the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
“As countries that share geographical proximity to the Pacific region, we have a shared responsibility to maintain regional stability, prosperity, and resilience,” Minister Sugiono remarked. He further emphasized, “Indonesia and New Zealand are close neighbors, and therefore, I would like to reaffirm our shared commitment to building a more resilient and peaceful future for the region and the world.”
The Indonesia–New Zealand JMC serves as a high-level forum for assessing the progress of bilateral relations and promoting deeper engagement on regional and global issues.
