The New Zealand United States Council
Media Releases
Auckland hosts high-level American leaders to strengthen US NZ relationship
US NZ Council and NZ US Council
06 September 2007
The US NZ 2007 Partnership Forum opening in Auckland this Sunday 9 September will bring together 100 influential leaders from the United States and New Zealand, to discuss how the two countries can strengthen political, business and personal ties.
“The Forum will focus on how two countries vastly different in size and geography, can work together in the pursuit of shared goals,” said NZ US Council Chairman Rt Hon James Bolger, who is also co-chairing the Forum.
“There is real momentum in the relationship, and it is the first time we’ve had a mix of political, business and community leaders of this calibre, meeting in New Zealand,” Mr Bolger said. “I look forward to frank and open conversation to generate the energy needed to enable us to see new options and possibilities in many fields such as sustainable development, renewable energy and trade.”
Key note addresses will be provided by Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark and Ambassador Christopher Hill, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Organised by the NZ US Council, and its Washington-based counterpart the US NZ Council, the event builds on the success of the inaugural Partnership Forum held in Washington DC in April 2006.
“Since the first Partnership Forum last year the relationship between New Zealand and United States has entered a new phase,” Mr Bolger said. “The upcoming Forum provides another opportunity to develop innovative ways of strengthening our political and business ties with the United States.”
The meeting between the Prime Minister Helen Clark and United States President George Bush in April 2007, along with various other high-level bi-lateral meetings in the last year, provide evidence of how far the relationship has developed.
The Forum presents American government officials and business leaders, along with other non-government opinion makers, a unique opportunity in a non-official setting, to express their perspective on US relations with a key Pacific Rim partner and friend, said President of the US NZ Council, John Mullen.
"It also gives private sector participants the opportunity to underscore the strong American support, in the business community and beyond, for closer commercial ties between the two countries and to share their views on trade and investment issues.”
“The Forum themes of partnership and innovation are about entrepreneurship, collaboration and stimulating a creative approach to developing the relationship”, concluded Mr Mullen.