Wellington, August 8, 2026: Pakistan and New Zealand have agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in political, economic, educational, technological and security-related areas following the fifth round of Political Consultations and third meeting of the Pakistan-New Zealand Joint Trade Committee (JTC) in Wellington.
The meetings were held on August 6 and provided a platform for both sides to review the progress of bilateral relations and explore new avenues for mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Political Consultations were co-chaired by Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary for Asia Pacific, Ambassador Dr. Syed Ali Asad Gillani, and Grahame Morton, Deputy Secretary of the Americas and Asia Group at New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The two sides held comprehensive discussions on bilateral relations and explored cooperation in high-level exchanges, economic development, science and technology, education, counterterrorism, transnational crime and people-to-people contacts.
They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and agreed to enhance coordination at multilateral forums.
Ambassador Gillani briefed the New Zealand side on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, as well as developments in South Asia, including the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and India’s continued violations of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Deputy Secretary Morton acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive role in efforts aimed at promoting peace in the Middle East.
The third round of the Pakistan-New Zealand Joint Trade Committee was also held in Wellington on the same day. The Pakistani delegation was led by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul Khawaja, while the New Zealand side was headed by Grahame Morton.
Discussions focused on expanding bilateral trade and investment, particularly in agriculture, livestock, information technology, education and services.
Both sides discussed ways to improve market access and strengthen cooperation in sustainable agriculture, including potential technical collaboration in wool production and plant protection. They also considered institutional mechanisms to further facilitate economic cooperation between the two countries.
A major outcome of the meetings was the signing of an Education Cooperation Arrangement between Pakistan and New Zealand, aimed at significantly expanding collaboration in the education sector.
The meetings enabled both sides to assess progress in bilateral relations, identify emerging areas of cooperation and reaffirm their commitment to developing a forward-looking and mutually beneficial partnership.
