Annual Report 2024
The 2023/2024 year has been a pivotal one for the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono, marked by renewed engagement and significant achievements toward our mission to equip New Zealanders to thrive in Asia.
As we navigated through ongoing global uncertainties, our commitment to fostering deeper connections with Asia remained constant.
The Foundation was proud to appoint its first woman chief executive, Suzannah Jessep, in December 2023. Ms. Jessep brings a fresh and unique perspective to the Foundation’s insights and experiential programmes. She has been instrumental in refreshing the Foundation’s “Seriously Asia” programme, managing its survey and commentary on New Zealanders' perceptions of Asia and leading our extensive Track II informal diplomacy programme. Her values-driven approach, strategic thinking, diplomatic experience and deep intellect make her well-suited to lead the Foundation as it continues to deepen its work in and across Asia.
Ms. Jessep succeeds Simon Draper, who left the role to take up a diplomatic post with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Our grateful thanks to Simon for the years of commitment and also the new initiatives he introduced to move the Foundation onward. The Foundation also extends its thanks to deputy chief executive Adele Mason for her leadership and support during the transition.
With Covid-19 restrictions well behind us, and travel fully resumed, the Foundation has been hugely active across the Asia region and New Zealand.
A highlight for me was our Track II work in Vietnam and Japan in November 2023. I led two delegations to meet with think tanks, government officials, civil society, diplomats and other experts. In Vietnam, we held the Foundation’s 14th dialogue with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. We discussed regional security, major power dynamics, climate change and New Zealand-Vietnam relations. From there, we went to Tokyo for more talks on maritime security, competition and conflict in the Indo-Pacific, and bilateral cooperation. Our Track II diplomacy is important for New Zealand’s engagement with Asia on key issues.
This year's Perceptions of Asia survey - now in its 27th year - reflected an increasing recognition of Asia's importance to New Zealand. Seventy five percent of New Zealanders acknowledged that Asia is significant to our future and New Zealanders’ knowledge of the region is notably at an all-time high. This is encouraging and certainly highlights how vital the Foundation’s work is now and for the future.
I am grateful for the contributions of our dedicated trustees and advisory members. We welcomed four new Honorary Advisers from New Zealand, whose expertise and insights have been invaluable. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to those who concluded their terms, whose commitment and support have greatly enriched our Foundation’s efforts.
As we move forward, the Foundation remains committed to our strategic goals of growing Asia awareness, deepening connections and enhancing New Zealanders' engagement with Asia. With a clear vision and strong partnerships, we look forward to continuing our work and achieving impactful results in the coming year.
HON DAME FRAN WILDE, DNZM QSO Chair
2024 Annual Report
pdf, 1.01 MB
