2022 is tipped to be a monumental year for international trade and Te Taumata is securely positioned to be the Māori voice in negotiations, ensuring Māori are not only considered in these relationships, but actively involved.
The trade sector has been through a tumultuous two years and as the world recovers from COVID-19, it is vital Aotearoa explores new trade opportunities and avenues.
In light of this, Te Taumata has devised a comprehensive work plan outlining all the world trade negotiations open to Aotearoa in 2022 and how Māori can be intimately involved in these discussions.
Te Taumata Chairman Chris Karamea Insley says this year will be even busier than the last.
“Te Taumata has agreed a plan with Government to advance Māori trade and export interests with several countries this year.
“Māori exporters have a multitude of premium products and services ready to enter into the $85 trillion world economy. When we achieve this, we will truly start to see a transformation in the lives of whānau.”
Mr Insley says Te Taumata will continue to engage with world-class technical experts in trade, economics, IP and treaty relations, pulling together the best minds to advance Māori and Indigenous interests.
“There is no better time than now to push our superior Māori products into the global market and take advantage of an international trade climate that has been near-paralysed for the past two years.”
Te Taumata played an integral role in the negotiations for the NZ/UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), ensuring Māori interests were given prominence in the deal. (Read more about this on our website).
“This trade deal alone will open up one of the largest economies in the world to Aotearoa and with tariffs removed on many of our primary products, Māori exporters stand to benefit significantly,” Mr Insley says.
“Now we are setting our sights on the FTA with the European Union (EU) which is due to be signed this year and could be even more beneficial for the Māori economy and Aotearoa as a whole.
“Every relationship Te Taumata fosters opens another door for our people. We have spent a lot of time hosting regional hui with our whānau to ensure the kōrero we are taking into these relationships reflects what our people want and need.”
