Suzannah Jessep's February 2025 Update
Warm greetings from the Asia New Zealand Foundation. I hope everyone has had a restful summer break and is looking forward to the year ahead. There is no question 2025 is going to be a year of change and some disruption – as we have already seen from decisions taken in the US this week. Some of this change may be creative and constructive, other parts challenging. In Asia, we can expect a mix of both.
At a macro level, if 2024 was the year of mounting military tension in the South China Sea and around Taiwan and of conflict in Ukraine and Gaza, then 2025 might be the year we see greater geo-economic tensions and the race for AI and the advancement of quantum computing to take the fore.
For New Zealand’s own economic prosperity, connecting into fast-growing Asia will remain a top priority. This year we can expect more leader-level visits into the region, building business-to-business connections and paving the way for broader, deeper strategic partnerships.
It is also true that every partnership New Zealand has across Asia needs people like you to help grow knowledge and familiarity between our countries, link businesses, connect communities and explore collaborations.
In 2025, the Asia New Zealand Foundation will be supporting this growth and connectivity through a range of activities, from connecting our young leaders and entrepreneurs, to deepening our expert-level engagement through ‘track II’ diplomacy, and expanding cooperation through the arts, sports, and other people-to-people fields.
This year, the Foundation will continue to mark its 30th anniversary, which kicked off with the Asia Summit in October 2024 and will run until October 2025. Over this period, New Zealand will also celebrate a number of significant milestones in its relationships across Asia.
Included is the 50th anniversary of New Zealand’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ‘ASEAN’, Viet Nam and Mongolia and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Singapore. It is also the year New Zealand welcomes the establishment of a new permanent Sri Lankan High Commission in Wellington.
Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew meeting with with then New Zealand Prime Minister Bill Rowling in April 1975, watched on by soon-to-be prime minister Robert Muldoon
In recognition of our own 30th anniversary and these important milestones, the Foundation will be launching new research and delivering some major events and activities in these countries, including an entrepreneurs’ summit in Viet Nam in the lead up to the ASEAN Leaders' Summit in Malaysia a few months later.
Our engagement in and with India also continues at pace. This year we kick-start the New Zealand India Entrepreneurship Initiative by bringing in twelve incredible agri-business entrepreneurs from India. We received hundreds of applications for the Initiative and I am confident those selected will serve as valuable champions for New Zealand back in India and will help us to enhance and grow the India-New Zealand trade relationship.
In addition, we have business internships across Asia including at Bengaluru-based software service company UrbanPiper, alongside media internships, arts exchanges and Track II dialogues. This year we will also be starting our non-resident fellowship programme, and I am excited to announce our first two senior fellows in the coming weeks.
Just last week we met with the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in Christchurch for our seventh formal dialogue. The Indian delegation included Fulbright scholar, Professor Chintamani Mahapatra, Founder of the Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies and editor of Indian Foreign Affairs Journal. He served as Pro-Vice Chancellor of one of India’s most famous Delhi universities, Jawaharlal Nehru University from 2016 to 2022, and remains an influential and positive voice on NZ-India relations. In March, the Foundation will lead a reciprocal delegation to India, to attend this year’s Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi and visit Tamil Nadu in the south of India.
Professor Chintamani Mahapatra at the Foundation's dialogue with the Council of World Affairs in Christchurch
Yesterday, I moderated a discussion with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam for an event organised by the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA). The Minister, a rising star in Viet Nam, emphasised the growing importance of our bilateral relationship in addressing today’s complex geopolitical challenges, outlining key initiatives to enhance and solidify our collaboration. He also highlighted the significance of the Vietnam-New Zealand Strategic Partnership as we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Over the coming weeks we will be hosting more incredible artists, experts, young leaders and private sector trailblazers – so stay tuned to our social media platforms and website for updates!
Finally, I’d like to give a shout-out to my deputy at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Adele Mason, and trustee of the Foundation’s board, John Boswell, who both received New Years Honours. Adele was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (NZOM) for her services to New Zealand-Asia relations and John received an ONZM, an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for his services to the New Zealand Defence Force. A big congratulations to them both – they are two very worthy recipients of national honours.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update and for your continued support - it’s greatly appreciated. If you would like to share your feedback or let me know what topics or stories you would like to read more about, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m available at [email protected].
Ngā mihi,
Suzannah Jessep
