Trade and security top agenda with Chancellor Merkel

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern highlighted the deepening partnership between New Zealand and Germany following her meeting with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin today.

“Germany’s leadership has been vital in helping Europe, and indeed the world, weather the storms of the past decade,” said Jacinda Ardern.

“As a country that shares Germany’s commitment to open, democratic societies and the rules-based international system, New Zealand welcomes the role Germany plays in advancing these values.”

The Prime Minister discussed with the Chancellor a range of key regional and international security challenges, and shared concerns about challenges to global institutions and rising protectionism.

She thanked the Chancellor for German’s strong support for a free trade agreement between New Zealand and the European Union, and conveyed New Zealand’s hope that negotiations would get under way in May.

“We agreed there needed to be a new model for FTAs that reflected social and environmental goals as well as trade, and the importance of rules based trade regimes.

“We also discussed some of the exciting new opportunities opening up that would allow us to build on the long-standing and successful bilateral agreement on science, including the prospect of collaboration between the relevant New Zealand and German agencies on space,” said Jacinda Ardern.

While in Berlin, the Prime Minister spoke at the prestigious Friedrich Ebert Foundation on the topic of progressive and inclusive growth.

She is now in the London where she will meet British Prime Minister Theresa May and attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.