New Zealand has announced a new Joint Statement with fellow Future of Investment and Trade (FIT) Partnership members, which reaffirms an intent to work together to ensure land routes, air and seaports remain open to support unimpeded trade as the Middle East conflict continues.
Trade and Investment Minister, Todd McClay said the joint statement with fellow FIT Partnership members, Costa Rica, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Panama, Rwanda, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay outlines a mutual interest in ensuring that trade lines stay open, transparent and resilient.
“We are already seeing the impact of the current conflict in the Middle East on global supply chains for oil, gas and fuel,” said Mr McClay.
“New Zealand and these FIT partners have committed to working together to identify disruptions to the trade of essential goods and exchanging information on how we will approach and mitigate these.”
The Joint Statement also commits to working together with other trading partners to ensure air and seaports remain open to support trade to flow unimpeded.
The FIT Partnership was established in September 2025. It provides a strategic platform for small and medium-sized economies to work together to shape the future of global trade and investment.
The FIT Partnership brings together Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Rwanda, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.
New Zealand hosts the next FIT Partnership Ministerial Meeting in Auckland in July.
