Diplomatic Dialogue: German - NZ Ties, Amidst Changing Geopolitical Realities

We enjoyed this engaging dialogue between Ambassador Menzenbach (Germany) and Ambassador Hawke (NZ) on German - NZ ties, with a focus on the Indo Pacific, a region of great importance to both nations.  

This year marks 70 years of NZ-German diplomatic relations, with the countries' common interests and views on democracy, human rights, climate change and multilateralism a binding force in the relationship. 

However, according to Hawke, NZ's relationship with Germany remains 'undercooked' with many more opportunities for engagement and collaboration between the two countries. NZ views Germany as a crucial partner for several reasons, including their commitment to supporting an international rules-based order and the strength of their voice as a G7 member when tackling the eminent issues of climate change and security. Germany is also NZ's largest research and innovation partner - a partnership Menzenbach is keen to grow.  

Germany's growing involvement and interest in the Indo Pacific stems from the knowledge that the region plays a key role in rules-based order for the future, which, if tested, could lead to a disastrous impact on trade routes that are crucial for the German (and global) economy, according to Menzenbach. The German Ambassador to NZ also discussed Germany's concern over climate change and its impacts on the region and on Germany's involvement with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which aims to provide a long-term vision and roadmap for sustainable development in the Pacific region. 

We thank Ambassadors Menzenbach and Hawke for joining with the NZ and German Aspen Institutes to deliver this stimulating and informative diplomatic dialogue, and look forward to more collaborative discussions such as these in the future. 

If you missed it, you can watch the replay at the link below: