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New Zealand’s Defence and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister, Hon. Judith Collins, is scheduled to be in Singapore to participate in a series of key summits and meetings focused on defence and technology.
The itinerary begins with the Asia Tech X Singapore Summit, where Minister Collins will engage with global counterparts to exchange views on regional security and discuss the latest advancements in technology.
Following this, Minister Collins will attend the Five Power Defence Arrangements Defence Ministers Meeting, underscoring New Zealand’s commitment to regional cooperation and interoperability with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The visit culminates with Minister Collins’ participation in the renowned Shangri-La Dialogue, the premier forum for Defence Ministers in the Indo-Pacific region. Here, she will meet with various counterparts and contribute to discussions on connecting Indian Ocean and Pacific security.
As part of her itinerary, Minister Collins will also take part in a dialogue session at the Asia Tech X Singapore Summit alongside Ministers from the Forum of Small Island States, hosted by Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, Josephine Teo.
Highlighting the significance of New Zealand’s relationship with Singapore, Minister Collins emphasises the value of joint research programmes in driving innovation and growth opportunities. Moreover, discussions with Singaporean ministerial colleagues will explore avenues to deepen cooperation through the recently agreed New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership.
In a significant diplomatic move last month, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon engaged in bilateral discussions with Singaporean leaders, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Both Prime Ministers committed to enhancing cooperation under the Singapore-New Zealand Enhanced Partnership, with plans to elevate the relationship by the end of 2025.
Among the key agreements reached, the leaders pledged to streamline the flow of critical supplies between the two nations during times of crisis, stressing shared interests in building resilient supply chains for food, energy security, and broader national security concerns. As New Zealand commemorates the 50th Anniversary of its Defence Forces in South East Asia, both countries are poised to strengthen defence and security cooperation further.
Additionally, New Zealand and Singapore affirmed their commitment to green economy initiatives, particularly in energy, transport technology, and finance and investment, including carbon markets. To explore opportunities in these areas, the leaders agreed to conduct green economy business missions.
Under the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership, cybersecurity collaboration takes centre stage, facilitating the exchange of information on cyber threats through an annual dialogue. Moreover, both nations will establish an annual security dialogue, initially focusing on counter-terrorism, led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Further, the Science, Technology, and Innovation arrangement aims to link the science and innovation systems of both countries, fostering long-term cooperation and commercialisation opportunities. This partnership underscores the commitment to ongoing development and collaboration in science, technology, and innovation initiatives.
Minister Collins has been clear on her stance on using technology to modernise security during her keynote address at the esteemed Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry. She underscored the event’s importance in acknowledging innovation within the technology sector and recognised its pivotal role in enhancing the NZDF’s capabilities to safeguard national interests.
At the event, Minister Collins underscored her commitment to upgrading defence strategies through technological advancements to address evolving geopolitical challenges and ensure robust defence capabilities against emerging threats in today’s rapidly changing strategic landscape.
New Zealand’s commitment to bolstering regional cooperation, driving technological innovation, and fortifying national security is exemplified in its dedication to leveraging technology for modernising defence strategies. It underscores New Zealand’s proactive stance in tackling contemporary security challenges and ensuring the robustness of its defence capabilities amid evolving threats.