Wellington, Jan 24: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Tuesday said that his government will be sending a small defence team to the Middle East to safeguard Red Sea shipping, the media reported.The country will be deploying a six-member New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) team to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea to ensure global trade, Prime Minister Luxon said, Xinhua news agency reported.
“This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand’s long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home,” Luxon said.
Almost 15 per cent of global trade goes through the Red Sea, and the Houthi attacks are driving costs higher for exporters and causing delays to shipments, he said.