Marcos pushes for stronger ASEAN-New Zealand cooperation on food security, maritime peace
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday, Oct. 27, urged stronger ASEAN-New Zealand cooperation in ensuring maritime security, promoting sustainable agriculture, and enhancing food security across the region.
Speaking at the ASEAN-New Zealand Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Marcos welcomed the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, calling it “a deeper engagement” anchored on “peace, prosperity, people, and planet.”
“Over the past 50 years of ASEAN–New Zealand dialogue relations, New Zealand has consistently upheld and recognized ASEAN centrality,” Marcos said.
The president thanked New Zealand for its continued engagement in maritime cooperation, particularly through initiatives such as the ASEAN Regional Forum Workshops on Implementing UNCLOS and the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Marine Debris Workshop, which he said helped build regional capacity to address maritime challenges.
“As a maritime and archipelagic nation, the Philippines greatly values New Zealand’s efforts in advancing ASEAN’s maritime priorities anchored on international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he added.
On the economic front, Marcos welcomed the entry into force of the Second Protocol to Amend the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, saying it will expand market access, enhance regulatory certainty, and open new opportunities in e-commerce, sustainable trade, and micro, small, and medium enterprise empowerment.
He also called for deeper collaboration in sustainable agriculture and fisheries, citing the need to draw on New Zealand’s expertise in agritech, sustainable farming, and value-chain integration to help ASEAN producers adapt to climate and market pressures.
“By drawing on New Zealand’s expertise in sustainable farming, we can strengthen livelihoods, raise standards, and enhance food security across our communities,” Marcos said.
The president also lauded initiatives strengthening people-to-people connections, including the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships and the Mindanao Young Leaders Programme, which he described as key to empowering young leaders.
Marcos further acknowledged New Zealand’s contribution to the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity, based in the Philippines, and said both sides could expand cooperation in biodiversity and species conservation.
Marcos reiterated the country’s full support for the ASEAN-New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Plan of Action 2026-2030, and the ASEAN Vision 2045, saying the frameworks will “elevate our partnership to new heights for the benefit of our peoples.”
