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New Zealand seeks to expand links with Arab nations

Xinhua, February 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

New Zealand will be looking to strengthen official links as well as trade when Associate Trade Minister Todd McClay tours three Arab states next week.

"I am excited about the opportunity to help strengthen our relationships with this part of the world. This visit is very much about reinforcing New Zealand's commitment to partnering with Gulf states in a range of areas, including food security, infrastructure and services," McClay said in a statement Thursday.

McClay said that the three states -- the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar -- were part of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which covered a growing region offering significant opportunities for New Zealand.

"It will also be an opportunity to share New Zealand's expertise in asset management and government services, and to build on the already strong relationships we have with these three countries," he said.

In Dubai, McClay would discuss the World Expo being held there in 2020, as well as meeting with a range of New Zealand companies active in the region.

In Saudi Arabia, he would meet with ministerial counterparts regarding the bilateral trading relationship, while in Qatar he would meet with ministers and discuss further cooperation in the fields of environment and education. Endi