South America

New Zealand's science and technology contacts with South America are primarily at a scientist-to-scientist level in the areas of agriculture, geology, forestry and astronomy through post-graduate exchanges, staff exchanges, collaborative projects and technology transfers. Specific agreements exist between New Zealand and Latin American institutes. New Zealand is also exploring the possibility of expanding RS&T linkages with South America via co-operation in multilateral fora such as CER/Mercosur (the South American trading arrangement, the Mercado Commun del Sur). New Zealand has strong incentives to develop closer RS&T relations with South America, particularly:

The population of South America is forecast to reach 625 million by 2015. Its GDP stood at US$2.09 trillion in 1997, and is expected to grow strongly as democratic structures take root and the economic reforms of the mid 1990s lay a foundation for sustainable growth and an increase in the size of the Latin middle class.

The rapid yet relatively stable economic and political development of these countries has led to a high demand for advanced science and technology, and an increasing capacity to fund it. There is significant opportunity for New Zealand to collaborate with South America, principally in:

agricultural technology
biotechnology
telecommunications
forestry
food processing.

News

12 June 2008: Researchers from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, have shown the efficacy of an alternative drug against Leishmania amazonensis, one of the species that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in South America. Read more

9 May 2008: Sugarcane biofuel becomes Brazil's second energy source. Read more

14 April 2008: Biofuel's impact on food crops under study at FAO meeting. Read more

25 March 2008: Genetic Study Of Latin Americans Sheds Light On A Troubled History. Read more

Older news

Links

New Zealand Centre for Latin American Studies