![The Prime Minister will host the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, at Downing Street today [Friday]](https://atomicdigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/fig-18-01-2024_05-27-09-1170x658.jpg)
Today [Friday] at Downing Street, the Prime Minister will host Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, capping nine days of international engagement with more than 90 nations.
The leaders are anticipated to talk about new initiatives to strengthen our shared values and long-standing close ties, as well as the security challenges the Indo-Pacific region faces and the situation in Ukraine. The visit follows the signing of the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement in February and both leaders’ attendance at this week’s NATO summit in Madrid.
To ensure that New Zealand and the UK can address global challenges for the next generation, the Prime Ministers will approve new joint initiatives. This will include a Youth Mobility Scheme extension, which will raise the age restriction and lengthen visas in order to draw and enable highly qualified and ambitious young people to move between the two countries easily, sharing knowledge and cutting-edge ideas between the two countries.
The leaders are also anticipated to reach an agreement on a historic science and innovation arrangement that will build on the Government’s Integrated Review and bring together researchers and technology experts from the UK and New Zealand to spur the development of ground-breaking science.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“Though they may be one of our most distant allies, the United Kingdom counts New Zealand among our closest friends. We share a world view, standing up for democracy and free trade around the world, which is fortified by deep bonds of language and culture.
“The partnership between the UK and New Zealand makes both of our countries safer and more prosperous. We are working side-by-side to address new and evolving threats that threaten to undermine stability and sovereignty in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Our trade deal is slashing red tape, cutting tariffs and opening exciting new opportunities for British businesses and entrepreneurs to travel and trade. And now our scientists are working together to solve humanity’s toughest challenges.
“I look forward to welcoming Jacinda Ardern to Downing Street today to take this alliance of old friends forward, and meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.”
In order to make sure that our nations are among the safest places to conduct online business, the UK and New Zealand will also reiterate their commitment to collaborating closely on online safety. The partnership will highlight the UK and New Zealand’s leading global roles in combating online harm and increase information sharing and best practises around online safety, with a focus on disinformation and user protection. Following the UK government’s introduction of the Online Safety Bill to parliament in March, this commitment was made.
The agreement will highlight the UK and New Zealand’s leading global roles in combating online harm and increase information sharing and best practises around online safety, with a focus on disinformation and child safety.
The partnership began after the government presented the Online Safety Bill to the parliaments in March.
The two nations’ trade relations, including the UK’s entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the recently signed Free Trade Agreement, will also be discussed.