Joint Readout of Meeting Between Prime Minister Ardern and Vice President Harris

Today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand and Vice President Kamala Harris met at the White House and jointly reaffirmed the strong and deep relationship between the United States and New Zealand, based on shared values, people-to-people ties, and cooperation across a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global challenges.

The Prime Minister and the Vice President welcomed the completion of negotiations on the bilateral Space Framework Agreement, which will be the foundation of our already robust civil space cooperation in the years ahead. The Framework will underpin the two nations’ cooperation including in: space science, earth science, sustainability, education, and technology. The Prime Minister and the Vice President reviewed the growing space partnership between the United States and New Zealand, including in supporting space exploration and taking action on climate change. They looked forward to future exchanges between the two countries.

The Prime Minister and the Vice President agreed on the importance of establishing and upholding international rules and norms to promote the peaceful, sustainable, and responsible use of outer space. They agreed that our two nations will work together to uphold and strengthen a rules-based international order for space and that we will work constructively with commercial industry, allies, and partners, and through multilateral fora to support the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability of space activities. 

The Prime Minister and the Vice President discussed mutual efforts to combat violent extremism and radicalisation. They condemned recent mass shootings in the United States, including in Buffalo, Laguna Woods, and Uvalde, and agreed that we all must stand up against hate and violence.

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