Auckland Hosts Major Global Trade Summit Led by New Zealand

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will chair the ministerial meeting on 17 July, welcoming ten trade ministers and around 100 delegates representing 21 countries.

New Zealand is bringing together trade leaders from across the world this week as Auckland hosts the second Future of Investment and Trade (FITP) Partnership Ministerial Meeting, an event expected to strengthen international cooperation and tackle growing challenges facing global commerce. Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will chair the ministerial meeting on 17 July, welcoming ten trade ministers and around 100 delegates representing 21 countries. The gathering is one of the largest international trade meetings hosted by New Zealand in the past two decades and comes at a time when many countries are dealing with changing trade relationships, rising geopolitical tensions and increasing barriers to market access.

The meeting brings together the 16 FITP member economies, while South Korea, Peru, Thailand, Fiji and Samoa have been invited to participate as observer countries. Representatives from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific will discuss practical solutions that can make international trade more efficient and predictable for businesses.

Focus turns to cutting trade barriers and modernising rules

A key priority for the discussions is reducing non-tariff barriers, which continue to create additional costs and delays for exporters. According to McClay, these obstacles affect around NZ$9 billion worth of New Zealand trade, with agricultural and primary sector exporters experiencing the greatest impact.

The ministers will work on measures that simplify trade procedures even between countries that do not have free trade agreements. The agenda also includes expanding paperless and digital trade systems, encouraging more consistent regulations, and addressing subsidies that distort competition in international markets. These steps are expected to lower compliance costs for businesses while improving productivity and cross-border trade efficiency.

New Zealand strengthens its global trade leadership

Hosting the ministerial meeting also reinforces New Zealand's role as a founding member of the FIT Partnership alongside Singapore, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The initiative seeks to improve trade cooperation among small and medium-sized economies that depend heavily on international markets for economic growth.

McClay said the meeting offers visiting ministers an opportunity to engage directly with New Zealand businesses while helping expand commercial relationships in emerging markets where the country's trade presence remains relatively limited. Bringing together ministers from four continents also highlights New Zealand's commitment to supporting an open, rules-based trading system that promotes fair competition and stronger economic partnerships.