Speeches

I would once again like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet, and pay my respects to the original occupants of these ancestral lands, and to the Elders past, present, emerging and yet to come.

Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be with you today and to greet you in the same manner in which I would greet an audience in New Zealand.

We are living through a period with significant disruption and complex; the international context and our ability to effect foreign policy is at a time when the rules based norms and international order is being challenged.

What an honour it is to be back in London, and to be here at Chatham house. This visit represents much for me.

I’m pleased to join you for my second address at the 56th Annual Otago Foreign Policy School.

I begin by thanking each of you for accepting appointment to these boards.

New Zealand is not here to expand our military alliances. We are here to contribute to a world that lessens the need for anyone to call on them.

This summit is squarely focused on the challenges of our modern world. And so it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge one that is front of mind for this region right now.

I want to begin by thanking everyone who is here today, and in particular the Matariki Advisory Group, led by Professor Rangi Matamua.

Thank you, Mr President. I extend my warm congratulations to you on the assumption of the Presidency of this inaugural meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.