The PM claims that concentrating only on commerce in the South Pacific won't help New Zealand "get rich."

Important Points The most recent nation to enter into an economic alliance with the United Arab Emirates is New Zealand. The prime minister of New Zealand told CNBC that in order to find economic prospects, the South Pacific island nation must go outside of its immediate area. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sees an opportunity to increase bilateral trade between the UAE and New Zealand through the free trade agreement inked on Monday.As the South Pacific island nation forges an economic alliance with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the prime minister of New Zealand told CNBC that the nation must search for trade prospects outside of its immediate borders.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon views the free trade agreement, officially known as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), as an opportunity to increase bilateral trade between the two nations and positions the United Arab Emirates as one of the Middle East's biggest marketplaces.Luxon told CNBC Monday, "We have a long-standing relationship that dates back more than 40 years of diplomatic recognition, and the opportunity now is to deepen and broaden the economic relationship.

"The signing of the CEPA and the bilateral investment treaty is crucial because, in reality, these two small, developed economies share many values and similarities, and we hope to be able to collaborate and strengthen our relationship.