Latin America trip pushes closer ties

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Friday 11th January 2002

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister, Phil Goff, says his four-nation visit to Latin America beginning this weekend will help consolidate a relationship with a growing export market.

Mr Goff is the first New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister to visit the central American nations of Cuba, El Salvador and Guatemala, and he will also visit Peru to establish contacts with the new Toledo administration.

"Our Latin American strategy is designed to build a stronger and broad-based relationship with Latin America," the Minister says.

"While the continent is becoming an increasingly valuable trading partner, it is important that economic and commercial relations are underpinned by a close political and people-to-people relationship."

New Zealand's exports to the four countries totalled $342 million in the year to June 2001 and Mr Goff says the markets are important for dairy produce.

"The visit to Peru will complete bilateral visits to our six major partners in the region, following the Prime Minister's visit to the region last year.

"Latin America will be an increasingly important part of our international relationships in the future. New Zealand's exports to Latin America as a whole increased by 83% to $1.2 billion in the year to June 2001," says Mr Goff.

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