New Zealand's Agriculture Minister Arrives in Cairo within Hours

By Nawal Sayed

CAIRO, Feb. 18 (SEE) - New Zealand's Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor kicked off a regional tour in the Middle East for meetings on trade, food security and agricultural technology. He visited the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Cairo within hours.  

“Our relationship is growing with these

important trading partners and my visit will be a chance to advocate for issues

important to Kiwis, listen to Kiwi businesses operating there and grow the

links between our economies even further,” O’Connor said according to a press

statement issued Sunday evening.

The United Arab Emirates is New Zealand’s

11th largest trading partner, with two-way trade worth more than $3.7 billion

for the year ending December 2018.

“In Dubai I’m looking forward to going

along to Gulfood, the world’s largest food and beverage trade exhibition, to

support New Zealand suppliers.”

O’Connor will also meet with the Ministers

of Economy, Climate Change and Environment and Food Security.

While in Egypt, O’Connor will meet with the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and the Minister of Trade and Industry, to discuss the persification of trade relationship as well as recent agriculture cooperation projects.

“Egypt is New Zealand’s second largest

market in Africa with two-way trade worth more than $350 million a year, mostly

in dairy and meat.

“It’s an important time for the New

Zealand-Egypt relationship as this will be the first trade-focused ministerial

visit since 2006.”

"Trade is crucial to our economies and

so is ensuring that the benefits that come from trade are shared by all,” O’Connor

noted.