New Zealand will increase its military contribution to N. Korea sanctions monitoring
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Synopsis
New Zealand will enhance its contribution to North Korea sanctions monitoring based in Japan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Tuesday. The government will deploy New Zealand Defence Force ships for the first time and increase aircraft deployments until September 2026. This decision underscores New Zealand's commitment to collective security in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite facing challenges like high attrition rates and aging equipment, New Zealand aims to boost military spending, with a new Defence Capability Report set for approval later this year, according to Defence Minister Judith Collins.
By Reuters
Last Updated:
New Zealand will increase its contribution to North Korea sanctions monitoring, out of Japan, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Tuesday.
"This increase reflects the importance New Zealand places on collective security efforts that support peace and stability and the international rules-based system in the Indo-Pacific region," Luxon said.
The New Zealand government has been trying to step up international engagement both diplomatically and in its military contributions and earlier this month announced it would deploy more soldiers to the United Nations mission in South Korea.
However, recent government reports have noted the defence force faces significant challenges due to high levels of attrition following the pandemic and aging equipment. The New Zealand government has allocated less capital spending in the coming year but says it would like to increase spending following the release of the Defence Capability Report.
The report will lay out plans for new military spending over the coming years.
Minister of Defence Judith Collins told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday that she had received a draft copy of the report but hoped that the report could go to government ministers for approval in September or October.
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Luxon said in a statement the government had committed to send New Zealand Defence Force ships for the first time and increase the frequency of deployments of aircraft, to support sanctions monitoring until September 2026."This increase reflects the importance New Zealand places on collective security efforts that support peace and stability and the international rules-based system in the Indo-Pacific region," Luxon said.
The New Zealand government has been trying to step up international engagement both diplomatically and in its military contributions and earlier this month announced it would deploy more soldiers to the United Nations mission in South Korea.
However, recent government reports have noted the defence force faces significant challenges due to high levels of attrition following the pandemic and aging equipment. The New Zealand government has allocated less capital spending in the coming year but says it would like to increase spending following the release of the Defence Capability Report.
The report will lay out plans for new military spending over the coming years.
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Minister of Defence Judith Collins told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday that she had received a draft copy of the report but hoped that the report could go to government ministers for approval in September or October.
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)