What an incredible week it has been for both Singapore and New Zealand — a week filled with milestones, meaningful connections, and shared pride.
From 9–11 October, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited New Zealand to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between our two nations. During his visit, Singapore and New Zealand elevated their partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), building on 25 years of free trade and the 2019 Enhanced Partnership.
This milestone reflects our growing collaboration in areas such as investment, food security, green economy, and capacity-building in the Pacific — a true step forward in deepening trust and cooperation.
Across the week, several community and business events brought Singaporeans in New Zealand together to celebrate and connect:
7 October – KPMG Networking Night
KPMG hosted over 50 Singaporeans from diverse industries — tech, wellness, legal, construction, F&B, trade, and entrepreneurship. Our panelists Mahesh Muralidhar, Kristen Teo, CA, and Kathleen Morrison shared inspiring stories of their journeys from Singapore to Aotearoa. The room buzzed with energy, and what was meant to be a two-hour session turned into almost three — a testament to the quality of conversations and connections made.
8 October – SBANZ Networking Event
SBANZ hosted a special networking evening in celebration of 60 years of diplomatic ties. It was wonderful to see familiar and new faces come together to reflect on how far we’ve come and to look ahead to the future of stronger ties and collaboration between our two countries.
10 October – ASEAN New Zealand Business Council Reception
The ASEAN New Zealand Business Council gathered 150 guests to celebrate this historic milestone, joined by both Prime Minister Wong and Prime Minister Luxon, who announced new initiatives to further strengthen our longstanding relationship.
11 October – Overseas Singaporean Reception
The week concluded with a heartwarming reception for the Singaporean community in Auckland. Many Singaporean families turned up for an evening filled with warmth, laughter, and pride — and of course, the special chance to meet Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and members of his delegation in person.
It was a memorable week celebrating not only 60 years of partnership between Singapore and New Zealand but also the growing community of Singaporeans who now call Aotearoa home.
