Indonesia and New Zealand strengthen food security and renewable energy ties at Auckland ministerial talks

Indonesia and New Zealand strengthen food security and renewable energy ties at Auckland ministerial talks

Indonesia and New Zealand agreed to deepen cooperation in food security and renewable energy during high-level ministerial talks held in Auckland on Friday, August 28, 2026, as both countries work to implement their comprehensive partnership roadmap through 2029.

Foreign Minister Sugiono and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who has served in the position since November 2023, convened the 13th Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) to discuss strategic priorities in the bilateral relationship. The meeting followed the 12th JMC held in Jakarta in June 2025, demonstrating the regular consultative framework between the two nations.

Food Security and Agricultural Development

Minister Sugiono emphasized food security as a strategic pillar of Indonesia-New Zealand relations, particularly for meeting the nutritional needs of Indonesian children and youth. The two countries outlined concrete measures to enhance agricultural productivity and expand cattle farming operations.

"One of the strategic areas in Indonesia-New Zealand relations is cooperation in food security to meet the needs of Indonesian society, children, and the younger generation of Indonesia," Sugiono stated in a Foreign Affairs Ministry press release.

The ministers also discussed implementing halal certification mechanisms to streamline trade in halal products between the two countries, building on growing bilateral trade that reached $963.23 million in the first half of 2025, representing a 21.56% increase over the same period in 2024.

Renewable Energy Capacity Building

Both nations committed to strengthening cooperation in renewable energy, with particular focus on geothermal and solar power development in Indonesia. Indonesia possesses the world's second-largest geothermal energy potential after the United States, estimated at approximately 23-24 gigawatts. However, the country has only installed around 2.7 gigawatts of capacity, utilizing less than 12% of its potential.

The renewable energy collaboration forms part of broader efforts under the Indonesia-New Zealand Comprehensive Partnership, which was elevated from its previous status during President Joko Widodo's state visit to New Zealand in March 2018.

Trade and Education Cooperation

The foreign ministers reviewed progress toward the bilateral trade target of 6 billion New Zealand dollars ($3.6 billion) by 2029, as outlined in the 2025-2029 Comprehensive Partnership Plan of Action. New Zealand's development cooperation partnership with Indonesia represents one of its largest outside the Pacific region.

In education, both countries agreed to continue expanding scholarship opportunities for Indonesian students, particularly in fields aligned with national development priorities.

Regional Engagement

Indonesia and New Zealand reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing stability, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region through collaboration in multilateral forums, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Minister Sugiono welcomed New Zealand's upcoming chairmanship of the Pacific Islands Forum in 2027, following Palau's hosting in 2026, and expressed confidence in its successful leadership of the regional body.

The JMC serves as the primary mechanism for reviewing bilateral relations and exploring cooperation opportunities between Indonesia and New Zealand. The meeting also addressed preparations for the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2028, marking seven decades since the two countries established formal ties on June 28, 1958.

The ministers used the commission meeting to monitor implementation of the Indonesia-New Zealand Comprehensive Partnership Action Plan for 2025-2029, which guides cooperation across multiple sectors including trade, development, education, and regional security.