Suzannah Jessep's September 2025 CE Update

The AXEAN Festival provided New Zealand music promoters with valuable insights into Southeast Asia’s vibrant and diverse music scene

This week a group of ten kiwi music programmers, promoters, and music business leaders returned from a week-long Foundation-led visit to Indonesia to attend what is known as the ‘AXEAN Festival’ – a top Southeast Asian music export platform, combining a music conference and performance. Launched in 2020 during the pandemic by music professionals across Southeast Asia, AXEAN has featured 200 artists from 20 countries, and delegates from more than 30 countries. 

Home to a youthful population of 270 million, Indonesia’s dynamic music scene offers exciting opportunities for New Zealand music to reach new audiences. Judging by the photos of studio visits, networking events, and cultural experiences, it’s clear the group have returned with valuable insights into the breadth and depth of musical talent in Indonesia and the wider Southeast Asia region, and the potential for New Zealand artists and promoters to tap into this incredible, fast-growing market.    

Laos: Mekong Track II Dialogue 

The New Zealand delegation alongside delegates from China, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Viet Nam and Laos

Earlier this month, I was in Vientiane, Laos. I’ve been to Laos before on a family visit, many years ago, while living in India. Compared to Delhi’s hustle, Laos offered a peaceful sanctuary.  

On this visit, however, I was leading a Track II delegation of some of New Zealand’s top experts in international relations, environment and climate, defence and security, and trade, to meet with their leading counterparts from across the Mekong region. 

When you visit a new country as a tourist, you mostly experience what’s on the surface—the sights and atmosphere, glimpses of its history and culture, and, of course, the chance to try its food. On this visit, we dug much deeper, examining how countries along the Mekong River, including China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand, are managing their cross-border relations, balancing pressures from the US and China, and sharing the Mekong for their energy needs and rural livelihoods.    

We arrived in Laos’s capital, Vientiane, at a time of heightened tension across Asia. Thailand and Cambodia had only just agreed a ceasefire after a five-day exchange of artillery and airstrikes. In Myanmar, the civil war was rumbling but under the growing pressure of what many fear is a staged election. In Indonesia, violent riots had erupted. The Thai Prime Minister had just been removed from office and Japan’s Prime Minister had signalled his resignation. And across the region, the proliferation of multimillion-dollar scam call-centres had been attracting damning headlines.  

Suz: "These dialogues benefit New Zealand in many ways. They are honest, direct conversations, but hugely constructive."

These dialogues benefit New Zealand in many ways. They are honest, direct conversations, but hugely constructive. New Zealand is viewed as a long-running friend of the region and—for want of a better word—benign. We are there to listen, share expertise, work through problems together, and where possible, to help develop solutions that, in turn, help to keep the peace in our region. My thanks to our wonderful Thailand advisers, Professors Thitinan Ponsudirak and Pavida Pananond for the work they put into making our dialogue such a success. 

Malaysia 

Staying with Track II diplomacy and Southeast Asia, yesterday Foundation Chair Dame Fran Wilde departed New Zealand to lead a delegation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for three days of in-depth talks with think tank partners across the region. Now in its 17th year and co-hosted with Malaysia’s Institute of Strategic and International Studies and Australia’s Asialink, the “ASEAN–Australia–New Zealand Dialogue” is one of our longest-running exchanges.  

Sessions include deep dives into the power of cultural diplomacy, multilateralism, transnational crime, technology and AI, and this year the dialogue will mark the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-NZ relations. We also run a special masterclass for emerging voices and up-and-coming talent (generally graduates and early career professionals) to help grow a pipeline of engaged and informed delegates. 

Indonesia

In early October, Foundation Trustee, Professor David Capie, will be leading a senior delegation to the ASEAN-New Zealand 50th Anniversary Dialogue in Jakarta, Indonesia, before attending the second ASEAN Think Tanks Summit (ATTS) also in Jakarta.  

Held at the ASEAN Secretariat, these discussions are framed around the three pillars of the ASEAN Community: political-security, economic, and socio-cultural. Set at a senior level, the sessions explore regional peace and security, economic integration and prosperity and improving the quality of life and cultural connection for communities across Southeast Asia.  We’ll be publishing an article about the dialogue, as well as our Laos and Malaysia engagements, on the Foundation website in the coming weeks. 

Pet Food Extraordinaire 

On 11 September I was thrilled to host the chief executive of Addiction Pet Foods, Jerel Kwek, for a catch-up with the head of our Entrepreneurship Programme, Lingy Au. Jerel was one of the very first participants we had in our Young Business Leaders Initiative, which brings together kiwi and Southeast Asian entrepreneurs and now numbers over 270 members.

From small beginnings, Jerel now runs a multimillion-dollar pet food company and employs over 150 staff. Although Singapore-born, most of his manufacturing happens here in New Zealand. His products contain premium New Zealand ingredients and sell to over 3000 outlets globally. 

Jerel Kwek presenting at the ASEAN Forum, hosted by the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council

Earlier in the month, we sponsored Jerel to speak to the ASEAN Forum in Auckland. Jerel shared insights on how Southeast Asian businesses are increasingly moving up the value chain and how New Zealand can benefit from looking at Southeast Asia not just as a market but as a full-spectrum partner across trade, investment, education and people-to-people links. He’s a great success story, and the Foundation is proud to have such a long-running connection with him.   

What’s coming up?

We have a busy month ahead, including a meeting of the Board of the Foundation next week...which will keep me busy!

Before I sign off, I’d like to highlight two events which are free and open to the public – and that you are welcome to bring a friend along to.

On 25 September, we’ll have an Asia After Five event at our Wellington office that will focus on Taiwan. And on 1 October we’ll have another Asia After Five in Christchurch, which will feature speakers sharing their sporting experiences in South Korea. The Foundation team would love to see you there. 

Please check out our website and other platforms for all the other activities and events we have on. We have a number of grants and internships available, and some other incredible opportunities on offer.  

Till next month!  

Nga mihi, 

Suzannah Jessep