Earlier this month the Latin America CAPE launched our last two reports into underexplored aspects of New Zealand-Latin American relations.

Both reports were written by John Capper of MartinJenkins, and both placed New Zealand’s ties to Latin America in the context of our country’s ties to its closest Oceania neighbours.

The first report, on Trans-Tasman collaboration to build ties with Latin America, considered how New Zealand and Australia could work together in specific areas to engage Latin America, thereby increasing their impact in that region in cost-effective ways.

The second report, on New Zealand, Latin America and the Blue Pacific, reflected on how New Zealand can work with Latin American countries to help them engage optimally with Pacific Island nations.

Like our earlier pieces of commissioned research, both studies were informed by a selected panel of subject matter experts from government, academia and business. The trans-Tasman report drew on interviews with Australian, New Zealand and Latin American advisers, and New Zealand, Latin American and Pacific voices influenced the Blue Pacific report.

The launch of the two studies on August 5th at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington was greatly enjoyed by attendees as well. It included a welcome from John Allen, the university’s Chancellor; speeches from the Hon. Chris Penk, New Zealand’s Associate Minister for Defence (and other portfolios), Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to New Zealand, and Chile’s new Ambassador to New Zealand; and a panel with the Hon. Tim Groser, Professor David Capie of the university’s Centre for Strategic Studies, and Ngai Tahu’s Jacqui Caine.

We are grateful for everyone who contributed to these studies and helped us present them in style.