Indonesia and New Zealand Strengthen Defence and Nutrition Cooperation
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that cooperation between Indonesia and New Zealand will focus on strengthening the bilateral partnership across various strategic issues. Foreign Minister Sugiono said New Zealand is a close partner of Indonesia in the Pacific region. ‘I welcome the commitment of both countries to elevate this partnership to a higher level, from defence cooperation to support for Indonesia’s national priority programmes,’ Sugiono said in a ministry statement on Sunday. The strengthening of the partnership was emphasised during a bilateral meeting between Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Post Ministerial Conferences in Manila, Philippines, on Thursday. The enhanced partnership focuses on several areas, namely defence, the convening of the Joint Ministerial Commission, and cooperation on fulfilling nutrition for school-aged children. During the meeting, the two foreign ministers highlighted the importance of good nutrition for school-aged children. Minister Peters also expressed New Zealand’s support and readiness to assist the Indonesian government in efforts to improve child nutrition, including support for the Free Nutritious Meal Programme. In the defence sector, both foreign ministers supported the strengthening of defence cooperation, including through the establishment of a Navy-to-Navy Talks forum and the exploration of a Defence Cooperation Arrangement. The two ministers agreed to hold the 13th Indonesia-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Commission at the end of August 2026 in New Zealand. The ministerial-level forum serves as an important platform to review the progress of bilateral cooperation while encouraging closer collaboration at the regional and global levels. The meeting also reaffirmed the commitment of Indonesia and New Zealand to continue strengthening a mutually beneficial partnership.