Hon Tim Groser
Minister of Trade

26 May 2010 Media Statement

Minister travels to France, Russia and Japan

Trade Minister Tim Groser is attending the OECD Economic Forum in Paris, France from 26-28 May before going on to progress New Zealand’s trade agenda in Moscow, Russia and Sapporo, Japan.

Mr Groser says annual OECD meeting will address issues including the key challenges facing governments as the global economy recovers, including ensuring a sustained and ‘jobs rich’ recovery, boosting innovation, and promoting green growth.

"While New Zealand is emerging from the crisis better than most OECD economies, the continued domestic recovery will largely rely on sustained international growth.

“The OECD's robust economic analysis plays a key role in providing governments with the information they need to develop strong policy platforms for this growth," Mr Groser said.

Mr Groser then travels to Moscow, Russia from 30 May – 2 June, to meet with his Russian counterpart, Elivira Nabiullina, Minister of Economic Development with a focus on strengthening the trade and economic relationship between Russia and New Zealand.

While in Moscow, Mr Groser will address the New Economic School (NES), a prestigious post-graduate institute in Moscow, on the theme “Asia-Pacific Trade and Economic Integration: Strategic Opportunities for Russia and New Zealand".

Mr Groser then travels on to Sapporo, Japan where APEC Ministers will meet to discuss progress towards APEC's Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment across the region by 2010.

"The Asia pacific region has made considerable progress towards achieving this goal, but we are not there yet. That is why we are pursuing such an active programme of FTA negotiations and I will be discussing this with counterpart APEC ministers,” Mr Groser said.

ENDS

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