A key programme for the Council soon after it was established was the hosting of successive US-NZ Partnership Forums. Held alternately in New Zealand and Washington DC, they provided invaluable opportunities to bring together political, policy, and business leaders and commentators from both countries to advance the bilateral relationship. The six Forum events contributed over time to the normalisation of relations between the two countries.
Forums previous held by the Council are listed below:
- 2006, Washington DC: Discussions focused on foreign policy, trade, investment, finance, security, agriculture, labour, the environment, and regional issues such as the importance to both countries of the rise of China and India, economic integration in the 21st century, and sound energy policy.
- 2007, Auckland: On the theme of “Partnership and Innovation”, the focus of the 2007 forum was on the potential for the US and New Zealand to cooperate on matters of regional security and stability, economic development and sustainability in the Asia Pacific region.
- 2009, Washington DC: This forum looked at “Trans Pacific Partnership: Deepening Engagement, Expanding Opportunities”, and with the challenging backdrop of the GFC, the focus was on how the US and New Zealand could increase cooperation and engagement in the Asia Pacific on regional security and stability, trade and economic development, energy and environment.
- 2011, Christchurch: The forum discussed in roundtable format strategies for strengthening and deepening the partnership between the two countries, following on from the success of the first three Partnership Forums. The latter stages of this event was disrupted by the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February 2011. This led to some very generous support from US benefactors to assist Christchurch’s recovery.
- 2013, Washington DC: The forum was designed with innovation and leadership at its core, bringing together more than 300 thought leaders from government, business, academia and non-profit groups to define, develop and deliver the next bilateral agenda – along with a sizeable group of young and emerging leaders.
- 2015, Auckland: The theme of the 2015 forum “Pacific Partners – The Next Generation” reflected the opportunity before the two partners to address a new set of challenges and to take steps to develop a new generation of leaders to take the relationship forward. This Forum celebrated the fact that the bilateral relationship had been fully restored and normalised.