New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
8 August 2024
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
F Mackenzie
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
[FYI request #27184 email]
OIA 29440
Tēnā koe F Mackenzie
We refer to your email of 8 June 2024 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
My request pertains to the Agreement between the Government of the State of Israel and
the Government of New Zealand on Cooperation in Technological Innovation, Research
and Development.
I would like to know whether the treaty has been ratified and if not, what is the process
and timeline for the treaty to enter into force.
NZ Treaties online specifies that "The key stakeholders under the agreement are
technology-focused businesses." Please specify any stakeholders that can be named
outside of the Israel Innovation Authority, Callaghan Innovation, and the respective
governments.
Finally, I am also requesting the release of any and all documents held by MFAT pertaining
to said treaty.
On 8 July 2024, the deadline to respond to your request was extended to 12 August 2024.
Most of your request for information is refused under section 18(f) of the OIA, as it would require
substantial collation and research in order to provide a response. However, we are providing you
with the below information relevant to the following part of your request.
Ratification and entry into force of the Agreement
On 5 March 2020, New Zealand and Israel signed the
Agreement between the Government of the
State of Israel and the Government of New Zealand on Cooperation in Technological Innovation,
Research and Development (“the Agreement”).
The Agreement has not been ratified by New Zealand. Ratification requires each party to notify
the other in writing, by diplomatic channels, of the completion of their internal procedures
required for bringing the Agreement into force. New Zealand’s internal procedures have not yet
been completed.
Most treaty action takes considerable time to conclude. More information on the process and
timeline for treaties to enter into force can be found in the International Treaty Making Guide on
the New Zealand Treaties Online website:
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/About-us-
Corporate/Treaties-Model-instruments/International-Treaty-Making-Guide-2021.pdf
Key stakeholders
General information on stakeholders to the Agreement
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
•
The Agreement was negotiated to better connect New Zealand to Israel’s innovation
system, with a focus on enabling brokered and co-funded research and development
collaboration between businesses in the two countries.
•
It was envisioned that Callaghan Innovation, authorised by the Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment, would work with the Israel Innovation Authority to jointly
develop and run joint calls for proposals, selection processes and matching and matching
services; and cooperate on monitoring the projects selected.
•
The key stakeholders under the Agreement are technology-focused New Zealand and Israeli
businesses.
•
Businesses are still able to collaborate on research and development outside of the
Agreement.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information
requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your personal information
removed) may be published on the Ministry website:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-
us/official-information-act-responses/ If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
