New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon inspects the Thai guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at Government House in Bangkok on April 17, 2024. Lillian SUWANRUMPHA, AFP

MANILA -- New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will make an official visit to the Philippines  on Thursday to meet with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

New Zealand's outgoing Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Francis Tavita Kell announced the news during his farewell call to the President on Wednesday. 

“He (Luxon) has been very clear that he wants to come to the Philippines. He knows the Philippines as you’ve explained. And he knows that it’s important,” Kell said. 

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“And he knows what you’re trying to do and he wants to support. Having--- putting it simply and so… his mission is to show the rest of his delegation [the] 25 tops business leaders. They should be doing more in this part of the world, they should be doing more in the Philippines.”

Luxon's meeting with the President at the Palace Thursday afternoon will highlight the two countries’ commitment to stronger ties as they move towards the 60th commemoration in 2026 of the establishment of their bilateral relations. 

The New Zealand premier is bringing with him New Zealand’s top business leaders. 

Kell, for his part, is confident that he’ll leave his post with the Philippine-New Zealand relations stronger than ever. 

“Pero may malakas akong kumpiyansang aalis ako dito ng may matibay na ugnayang pang New Zealand at Pilipinas,” said Kell, who learned Filipino in his stay in the Philippines. 

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“Kaya’t dito, gusto ko, gusto ko sana ipahayag sa inyo na maraming salamat. Taos puso akong nagpapasalamat sa inyong suporta, sa inyong pagtutulong sa aming bansa, at para palakasin ang ugnayan ng New Zealand  at Pilipinas." 

Marcos expressed thanked Kell for his initiatives in the last four years to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the Philippines and New Zealand. 

“Asahan mo at maraming salamat sa iyong magandang salita at kami naman ay nagagalak na sa panahon mo dito sa bansang Pilipinas at kasama ang aming, ang aming mamamayan ay nakita mo at naramdaman mo ang kabutihan ng ugali ng Pilipino,” he said.