KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — New Zealand has voiced firm support for Asean's continuous efforts to keep the region free of nuclear weapons, describing the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty as a vital pillar of regional peace and security.
Its Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the treaty, which came into effect in 1997, is “a tangible demonstration of Asean's deep-rooted wish” to prevent nuclear escalation, especially as nuclear-armed states continue to modernise and expand their arsenals amid growing global tensions.
“We are a State Party to the Treaty of Rarotonga, which established the South Pacific nuclear-free zone.
“We also support other nuclear weapon-free zones and their importance in contributing to regional peace and security,” he said in a written response to Bernama on the sidelines of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings.
Peters added that New Zealand views SEANWFZ as part of a broader network of nuclear-weapon-free zones across the southern hemisphere, including those in Latin America, Africa, and the South Pacific.
He stressed the importance of these zones in reinforcing global disarmament norms, especially at a time when strategic uncertainties are intensifying.
“It is even more critical that, as fellow members of nuclear weapon-free zone treaties, we continue to support each other in upholding their principles.
“It is also important that we continue to cooperate in support of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which both our countries have joined,” Peters said.
On regional disaster cooperation, the minister reaffirmed Wellington's commitment to actively working with Aean countries in strengthening early warning systems, disaster preparedness, and post-crisis recovery efforts.
New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) maintains regular engagement with its regional counterparts and participates in various regional platforms, including the APEC Senior Disaster Management Officials Forum.
"These engagements provide opportunities to discuss shared challenges and identify opportunities for collaboration,” he said.
Peters added that New Zealand has contributed over NZ$5 million (approximately RM12.78 million) in financial and technical support to the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).
The country's experts have led training for Asean member states on hazard response and crisis leadership.
He also highlighted cooperation with Malaysia on halal trade, noting that New Zealand remains a reliable supplier of high-quality halal food products and is working closely with Malaysian authorities to refresh their Halal Implementing Arrangement.
“We are making good progress and also working toward establishing an electronic certification exchange between our two countries, including for halal certificates,” Peters said.
He led the New Zealand’s delegation to several high-level sessions at the event, including Asean-New Zealand Post Ministerial Conference, the 15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 32nd Asean Regional Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
The meetings from July 8 to July 11 were hosted under Malaysia’s 2025 Asean chairmanship with the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.
— Bernama
