National Office and branch activities.

• Position: INSTITUTE NOTES

On 3-4 December the NZIIA co-hosted with the Japan Economic Foundation and the Asia New Zealand Foundation the 2020 iteration of the Asia Pacific Forum in Wellington. A fully digital event, it brought together fifteen experts from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss some of the key issues facing the region both now and into the future, including questions about whether globalisation is working to create a fairer system post-COVID; the role of inclusiveness and sustainability in economic policy; disruption to regional/global trading systems and rules; and the impact of the US presidential election and the US-China trade relationship on Asia-Pacific economies.

On 15 December a webinair was held on 'The Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) and Multilateralism'. The panellists were Dr Seyed Mohammad Kazem Sajjadpour (president of the Institute for Political and International Studies, Iran) on 'Iran's Position on the Nuclear Deal'; Dr Leon Goldsmith (senior lecturer in Middle East and comparative politics, Otago University) on 'New Zealand's Role in the Nuclear Deal and the Power of Small States'; Kambiz Sheikh Hassani (IPIS senior research fellow and former Iranian ambassador in New Zealand) on 'EU Commitments under the Nuclear Deal'; and Dr Negar Partow (senior lecturer in security studies, Massey University) on 'Challenges Facing Iran'. NZIIA Vice President Prof Rob Rabel moderated the session.

The Standing Committe has been considering a draft new constitution for the NZIIA. The finalised version will be considered at a special meeting of the National Council on 9 March. At that meeting the National Council will vote itself out of existence, and the constitution will come into effect. Elections for the new board will follow.

Auckland

The following meetings were held:

28 Jan Gregory Thwaite, the branch chair and an attorney at law qualified in the United States, addressed the branch on 'The Role of Criminal Trials in Illuminating the January Putsch in Washington DC'.

18 Feb HE Fernando Curcio (Spain's ambassador in New Zealand), 'The European Union and...