New Zealand is resolute in paying close attention to the South Asian region and Sri Lanka, in particular, on the 70th anniversary of relations between the two countries, said High Commissioner of New Zealand David Pine, speaking at the Fourth Ambassador’s Roundtable organized by Pathfinder Foundation.
At the forum comprising industry experts and representatives of local media institutions, High Commissioner Pine reiterated that an increased population of South Asian heritage immigrants living in New Zealand and existing dynamics in the geopolitical space had stimulated interest in the region.
In a world where economic interests cannot be separated from strategic interests, Sri Lanka’s potential due to its strategic geographical location in the Indian Ocean close to an economic giant, as well as its talented,well-educated populace, provides long-term opportunities and reasons for New Zealand to increase its focus on the island nation, the High Commissioner noted.
Focusing on the economic aspect, High Commissioner Pine said there is already cooperation in the dairy and agricultural sectors. New Zealand is willing to provide further assistance regarding food safety and phytosanitary (health of plants) standards. New Zealand further aims to help Sri Lanka in capacity building, climate resilience, and increasing support in the education sector by establishing educational institutes and facilitating exchange programs.
New Zealand wants to see a movement from goods to services in the island’s export sector with more value-added services to cater to the niche market. There is a plan to increase the number of NZ tourists to Sri Lanka whilst noting that tourism is not just about the increase in numbers but delivering value.
Concerning trade, High Commissioner Pine pointed out how the “Dilmah model”, where the famous brand of Sri Lankan tea tapped New Zealand as one of its first international markets.
Several interesting points were discussed in the interactive session following the main presentation. A suggestion was made for New Zealand to invest in export crops by acquiring and managing efficiently large extents of land, which at present are not productive, to which the High Commissioner responded that NZ is willing to share its knowledge on effectively managing the agricultural sector. A scheme to establish dairy farms in the north and east a few years back but subsequently abandoned was highlighted to emphasize the need to resume such programs.
The response to the imbalance in bilateral trade was to focus on the overall trade balance, as bilateral trade balance becomes irrelevant in the context of global value chains. In addition to tourism and trade, governance, parliamentary exchanges, and relationships were also underscored.
The visit of the ‘Women in Peace’ delegation was stressed, as was the need to focus on increasing opportunities for Track II dialogue.
In terms of future prospects in promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination among New Zealanders, the aim is to engage and mobilize the diaspora, improve connectivity and extend support for niche areas, including sports, as a connector of two sport-loving nations.
Pathfinder Foundation has previously hosted similar roundtable discussions with the Heads of Mission of France, Australia and the UK.
