PM secures White House meeting with US president

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is set to meet with United States President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Ardern announced the visit to the White House, which is planned for Wednesday next week, while outside a function for New Zealand Harvard students at Loeb House on the Harvard campus. Ardern was at the prestigious university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, yesterday giving a commencement speech that she used to take aim at unhygienic ‘‘keyboard warriors’’ and disinformation.

Ardern also received an honorary degree from Harvard University.

Speaking about the upcoming White House trip, she said the aim was to continue conversations that took place in the US capital, with the war in Ukraine likely on the agenda.

She said discussions on trade and the role of the US in New Zealand’s economy would also likely take place.

Baby formula, which the US is experiencing a shortage of, is something that may also be discussed.

Ardern confirmed she would continue pushing for the US to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

‘‘We have been open about our view that the CPTPP is the best way that the United States can join and strengthen the economic resilience of our region.’’ Ardern said the White House visit was ‘‘incredibly important for New Zealand’’.

‘‘We are in a fraught time of global politics where we have a pandemic, a climate crisis, and conflict – so it is important to engage with like-minded partners like the US.’’ White House visits are rare events. This will be only the third such formal invitation a New Zealand prime minister has received in the past 20 years and the 26th in our history.

‘‘Make no mistake, this is a big deal and a continuation of the positive trend in our relationship. History shows that gaining an audience with the US president can open up new opportunities to co-operate internationally and enhance trade,’’ NZUS Council executive director Jordan Small said.

The prime minister is in the US on a trade trip and has been busy promoting Aotearoa New Zealand to the rest of the world.

Earlier in the week, she appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and spoke about gun reforms in the wake of the horrific school shooting in Texas.

She also did her best to sell New Zealand as an aspirational, clean, green and sustainable and climate-friendly place for Americans to visit.

Ardern’s meeting at the White House had been thrown into doubt by her positive Covid infection two weeks ago.

Officials on both sides have since been scrambling to try to get a new date in the diary, which has now been confirmed.