Alan Koziarski, Singapore | Tue, 04/27/2010 8:39 AM | Opinion

Indonesia and New Zealand have been economic and trade partners for so long that there is no more significant partner for New Zealand in this region. Indonesia was New Zealand’s seventh largest export market for the year ending June 2009 and for the same period trade between the two countries was worth over US$1.5 billion FOB. Indonesia is New Zealand’s largest trading partner in ASEAN.

The New Zealand and Indonesian markets are complementary and largely non-competitive. New Zealand primarily imports petroleum products and some manufactured goods from Indonesia; in return, Indonesian consumers enjoy New Zealand primary produce, such as beef and dairy products.

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Clean energy development holds the potential to be another viable sector for an investment partnership between the two nations.

New Zealand sits in the southern Pacific Ocean, while Indonesia lies in the tropics: Both countries have considerably different environments. We share, however, one important geographical aspect: Both of us are situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, among the world’s most active volcanic zones. We are thus are both blessed with abundant geothermal energy resources. …

Read the rest of this article on The Jakarta Post (27 April 2010)

For more information about New Zealand’s participation at the World Geothermal Congress 2010, please view this page.