GERMAN AMBASSADOR

DOUBLE THE VISION | NEW ZEALAND-GERMAN BUSINESS GUIDE GERMAN AMBASSADOR

Reporting from Wellington, NZ

Good day, kia ora, guten Tag. It is with immense pleasure that I address you, as the newly arrived German Ambassador to New Zealand, coming from Boston where I have been Consul General. This is my first time in Aotearoa, but even before arriving here, I was positively surprised by the great reputation and goodwill New Zealand and its people enjoy in Germany - an excellent base to build on. The first impressions? After flying literally half way around the globe, things do look deceptively ‘European’. One of the charms of the coming years for me will lie in discovering the unique character and the distinctive features of Aotearoa, the largest of the Pacific islands, and finding out about and constructively working with the commonalities, as well as the stimulating differences. The Indo-Pacific region is becoming increasingly important for Germany and Europe, and New Zealand forms an integral part of it – more than any other country, it is deeply connected into the region, not least through its many, sometimes pioneering free trade agreements. In terms of bilateral trade, Germany continues to be New Zealand’s biggest partner in Europe (including the UK) and the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and the EU, once it has entered into force, will offer more opportunities to expand commercial links. Together with my European colleagues, I consider it an important task of ours to inform businesses and the public, both in New Zealand and in Germany, about the potential of this accord. 2022 was supposed to be the year in which the COVID pandemic would end, and life would return to a degree of normality. As for COVID, this hope has not been disappointed, with borders reopening, countries reconnecting, and personal meetings replacing virtual encounters. We are keenly looking forward to welcoming back business delegations and market exploration missions from Germany, as well as seeing business people, trade fair visitors and investors from New Zealand travelling to Germany. But as the year 2022 also became

WEBSITES PHOTOGRAPHY BRANDING a watershed in political terms, with the brutal and unwarranted invasion of Ukraine by Russia, with its severe political and equally economic fallout worldwide. Food prices are rising, as are energy prices. Inflation is on the rise both in Germany and in New Zealand. The coming European winter will certainly represent a major challenge, and experts expect an economic recession for Germany. However, at the same time, one must not underestimate the readiness of the population to accept hardships, faced with a struggle, which calls into question our fundamental values and a peaceful world order. We have been cruelly reminded that not everyone shares our vision of a rules-based international order, rule of law and respect for human rights. This makes it all the more important for countries sharing the same values, like New Zealand and Germany, to coordinate our efforts even better, be it politically or in the economic arena. A field of cooperation where New Zealand and Germany should intensify their cooperation even further and where they stand to benefit from each other, is climate change. The past year, with its weather extremes and natural disasters, has made it abundantly clear that worldwide efforts need to be substantially increased. Both countries have recently established an energy dialogue, facilitated by the GNZCC, and are exploring cooperation in green hydrogen research – with a joint research laboratory soon to be inaugurated in Dunedin. The area of renewable energy, reduction in energy and resource consumption, as well as mitigation of the effects of climate change, is one where German research institutions and companies have much to offer. I am keenly looking forward to my time in New Zealand and hope to meet with many of you and to learn from you. ●

Nicole Menzenbach, Ambassador I Botschafter German Embassy Wellington I Deutsche Botschaft Wellington