The world has “entered an era of formidable environmental, health, and geopolitical difficulties”, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today to an audience in Wellington.
She says there's a choice between “a path of isolationism and nationalism, or we take the view that concerted collective action is the necessary response”.
In a speech to a conference on the future of the Indo-Pacific region in Wellington, Ardern focused on the global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, saying a singular focus on vaccinating domestic populations "is a recipe for variance".
"Now is the time to turn our individual action into collective momentum.
"The post-Covid world will be a new era, our goal is to make it a better era."
Ardern said the “natural place to start is Covid and the natural response is cooperation”.
She said it was critical for collective health and wellbeing that there was a new pandemic treaty, an improvement of global health surveillance and a strengthening of the World Health Organization.
It was a "new frontier" role that New Zealand would play, alongside global partners.
"Now is the time to turn our individual action into collective momentum," she said.
"More is needed".
She expressed concern around "grave human rights abuses" around the region, including the "trampling of democracy" in Myanmar, alongside serious concerns in the South China Sea area.
Climate change was also a worry, with many low lying areas greatly impacted.
She said each nation was faced with decisions, as “formidable environmental health and geopolitical difficulties” plagued the region.
“We either ignore the impact our domestic decisions have on others and choose a path of isolationism and nationalism, or we take the view that concerted collective action is the necessary response.”
The Indo-Pacific was central to New Zealand’s interest, she said.
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