COVID-19: Canada, Australia, Chile, Brunei and Myanmar join NZ and Singapore in committing to keeping supply and trade links open
Canada, Australia, Chile, Brunei and Myanmar have joined forces with New Zealand and Singapore by committing to keep supply chains open and remove any existing trade-restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.
In a joint statement released on 25 March, Trade and Foreign Affairs ministers from these seven countries expressed that "it is in our mutual interest to ensure that trade lines remain open, including via air and sea freight, to facilitate the flow of goods including essential supplies."
The ministers affirmed the importance of "refraining from the imposition of export controls or tariffs and non-tariff barriers and of removing any existing trade-restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, at this time."
New Zealand Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker welcomed the announcement, saying that “it is important we have assurance from some of our key partners that trade lines between us will remain open".
“Trade policy on its own can’t solve the problems and challenges we face", Minister Parker said, "but it can and must be part of the solution. We are thinking about next steps to give practical and swift effect to our shared commitment to address the global pandemic through global cooperation."
For more information and the full text of the joint ministerial statement, visit beehive.govt.nz.
This entry was posted on 26 Mar 2020
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