Oxfam Aotearoa commends the release from Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta, that welcomes the findings of an independent review into Aotearoa New Zealand’s export controls system. Executive Director of Oxfam Aotearoa Rachel Le Mesurier said:
“This is a very welcome step towards improving New Zealand’s ability to uphold international human rights standards and prevent human rights abuses. We congratulate Minister Mahuta and the Government for their efficiency in undertaking a review, releasing the findings publicly, and supporting the recommendations for reform.
“We welcome the recommendation for legislative reform to make the regime clearer and simpler to implement. We are particularly pleased to see the recommendation for greater transparency and to build public confidence in the regime.”
Earlier this year, Oxfam Aotearoa called for a transparent, public investigation into the New Zealand Government’s export control regime in the wake of the revelation that Air New Zealand worked on military equipment that went to Saudi Arabia–a military the UN accused of potential war crimes in Yemen.
“We look forward to further engagement with MFAT as they implement the review’s recommendations, including the review and refresh of the assessment criteria,” said Le Mesurier.
