New Zealand and Singapore have signed a new agreement that commits both governments to not impose export restrictions on each other for a defined list of essential goods, including fuel, foodstuffs, construction materials and some other critical supplies.

The Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES) was signed by Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay and witnessed by Prime Ministers Christopher Luxon and Lawrence Wong. It will be incorporated into the existing New Zealand–Singapore Free Trade Agreement once both countries complete their domestic approval steps.

The Government is pitching the move as insurance for volatile periods, pointing to the role Singapore plays in New Zealand’s energy security. About a third of New Zealand’s fuel is refined in Singapore; today’s deal is framed as turning that trading relationship into a set of binding rules designed to keep product moving.

McClay called the arrangement a world first and said it builds on cooperation forged during the COVID‑19 pandemic. New Zealand and Singapore have frequently partnered on trade frameworks in recent years, including the CPTPP and the Digital Economy Partnership.

The announcement says AOTES creates “binding commitments” that prevent either side from restricting exports on an agreed list of goods. The full list was not released today, nor were details on how disputes would be handled or what, if any, exceptions could apply. The Government says the goal is to reduce the risk of supply‑chain disruption, particularly when it’s most likely to occur.

For New Zealand, the value runs in both directions: Singapore is a key source of refined fuel and a logistics hub, while New Zealand exports food and other essentials Singapore relies on. The deal is limited to trade between the two countries; it does not affect each country’s settings with third markets.

No timeline was given for the domestic approval processes required before the agreement is folded into the free trade agreement framework.