The Pacific Alliance Pacific Alliance Structure • The Pacific Alliance was founded in 2011. Observers & Pacific Alliance (Left to right) President Michelle Bachelet (Chile), President Juan Manuel Santos (Colombia), President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (Peru) and President Enrique Peña Nieto (Mexico). • The grouping structures its activities around five pillars: • New Zealand was an early observer, joining in 2012. trade; capital; people; services, and cooperation. Activity is • There are now 49 observers from every region in the world. New Zealand View: Pacific Alliance as a ongoing in all of these areas Slovenia, Lithuania and Croatia will join as observers at this Internal dynamics: what drives the • There is one Leaders’ Summit a year, and otherwise work is year’s Summit. pathway to Latin America Alliance countries organised through ad hoc leaders’, ministerial and senior • New Zealand has been one of the most active observers, officials’ meetings. attending the last four Summits at ministerial level. • The Government is committed to deepening The Alliance members share a common commitment New Zealand’s relationships in Latin America. to regional integration. It has negotiated a trade • Gaining Associate Membership with the Pacific protocol; is working on establishing a joint stock Why the “Pacific Pumas”? Alliance would provide an important anchor to exchange; and has eliminated visas for travel and these efforts, and open up new opportunities for work among member countries. The Pacific Alliance countries are known as the “Pacific engagement with some influential countries in Creating an Associate Member status is the Pumas” for their strong economic growth and pro-free the region. beginning of a more externally oriented Alliance. trade perspective. The countries are outward looking • For New Zealand the Pacific Alliance is about New Zealand, along with Australia, Canada and and influential in the region. All except Colombia are more than trade. New Zealand’s interest span Singapore will be the first group of countries that members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. education, tourism, energy, people-to-people will become Associate Members. and cultural links. There is also a strong strategic Key facts rationale for New Zealand’s engagement in this increasingly influential region. GDP Growth: A Comparison between the Pacific Alliance and the rest of Latin America • Home to 221 million people • The Alliance’s next step is into the Asia Pacific. We are a natural partner for the Pacific Alliance • As a group it is the sixth largest economy as it makes this move. Supporting this with a combined Gross Domestic Product of 7.0 South and Central America ex PA transition will secure New Zealand a “seat at Pacific Alliance $3.85 trillion. the table” as the Alliance grows in scope and 6.0 • Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico have all influence. 5.0 experienced consistent economic growth since 2005 and are in the top 60 countries for 4.0 ease of doing business New Zealand: What we want from this 3.0 • Alliance countries are agricultural producers, trade negotiation: 2.0 like New Zealand, so trade is modest. However 1.0 this similarity presents real potential for • A comprehensive, high-quality agreement trade in agricultural technology and services, • An agreement that meets NZ’s key trade interests 0.0 and opportunities for investment. across goods, services and investment -1.0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 • A quick but high quality negotiation.