The New Zealand government announced the extension of the deployment of its Defense Forces (NZDF), to protect international commercial shipping in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthi group in northern Yemen.
The New Zealand government said in a press release issued on Saturday, that the two Ministers of Defense; Judith Collins, Foreign Affairs; Winston Peters, we announced “the extension of the contribution of its forces participating in the international coalition led by the United States of America to support maritime security in the Red Sea.”
The Minister of Defense explained; Collins said the decision to extend the deployment “reflects the ongoing need to partner and work in line with New Zealand values, something we have done regularly to support maritime security in the Middle East. Our deployed staff have done an exceptional job and developed excellent expertise alongside our coalition partners.”
The statement indicated that the six New Zealand Defense Forces personnel deployed at the coalition headquarters “will continue to work side by side with partners to support the collective self-defense of ships in the Middle East region, and ensure maritime security in the Red Sea.”
For his part, the Minister of Defense stressed external; Peters said that the Houthis' continued indiscriminate attacks on international shipping "are illegal, inconsistent with our values ​​and continue to impact our country's economy. This decision demonstrates our support for the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation."
The statement revealed that the current deployment process is set to end. On 31 January 2025, “New Zealand has been contributing to international efforts to improve maritime security in the Middle East since the mid-1990s. There are currently up to 26 members of its forces deployed across various alliances and commands in the region.”