New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa have renewed their promise to work closely together on climate change, human and economic development, and security.
Peters arrived in Samoa late Thursday night for his four-day visit to Polynesia, after visiting Tonga and the Cook Islands. He met with Mata’afa on Friday morning in Apia where they signed a renewed Statement of Partnership.
Peters was expected to cover key issues with Pacific leaders, including labour mobility.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has pledged to double the number of workers coming through the RSE scheme from 19,500 to 38,000, but critics fear this will drain the region of essential workers.
In a statement, Peters said the two countries are like-minded, and set out the priority areas for cooperation over the next four years.
The Statement of Partnership was released following a meeting between the Prime Minister, Minister Peters, and New Zealand Minister for Pacific Peoples and of Health Dr Shane Reti.
“As well as outlining our intent to work together on issues of mutual interest – such as climate change, human and economic development, and responding to an increasingly complex security environment – the Statement also reiterates New Zealand’s commitment to support Samoa to deliver a successful Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting later this year,” Peters said.
“New Zealand and Samoa share a warm and long-standing relationship, based on close historical, cultural, and people-to-people links,” he said.
SOURCE: STUFF NZ/PACNEWS
