Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Ngā mihi nui, warm greetings to you, Mr President, and greetings to all colleagues here today and online.
Aotearoa New Zealand is pleased to commence our term on the Economic and Social Council. We are committed to working closely with fellow members under the able leadership of Ambassador Kelapile.
Mr President, achieving a green, resilient and inclusive recovery from COVID-19 will require innovative and effective partnerships. We hope today’s Partnership Forum will serve as a platform to spark bold and ground-breaking partnerships that will advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Relationships and collectivism are two key values which underpin our Pacific region. Partnership is embedded in our DNA. We recognise that we will have a greater impact and build longer-term resilience by working together than working alone.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, the Honorable Nanaia Mahuta, has made clear that authentic, consistent and respectful partnerships must be the starting principle for New Zealand’s international engagement. This principal is, for example, underpinning New Zealand’s response to natural disasters and the COVID-19 crisis in our region and beyond.
Collaborative endeavour sits at the heart of the 2030 Agenda. New Zealand is encouraged to see the growth of multi-stakeholder partnerships that capitalise on the resources, expertise, and unique strengths of a range of partners.
We agree with the findings of the Partnership Forum’s global online stakeholder consultation – specifically that health, education, poverty reduction and the participation of women and youth should be priorities for building back better from COVID-19 in 2022.
As we take action to advance these streams of work, here at the UN and at home, we will do so in a spirit of partnership with member states, civil society, business, academia, youth and indigenous groups.
Only through respectful, innovative collective action will we fully realise our shared commitment for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
As we say in Aotearoa New Zealand, he waka eke noa, we are all in this together.
Mr President, you can count on New Zealand’s strong support.
Thank you.