Ardern steadfast over focus on Christchurch Call
WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is making no apology for her focus on the Christchurch Call at the United Nations next week and points to Facebook’s recent action as a sign of early success.
Ms Ardern is in Japan on the first leg of a trip that will take her to the leaders’ week at the UN in New York next week.
While in Japan she will discuss trade and tourism with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as well as watch the All Blacks play South Africa at the Rugby World Cup tomorrow.
Ms Ardern is expected to announce progress on the international pledge — which aims to eliminate terrorist content online — during her visit to New York.
She said the Government was never doing just one thing at any given time.
‘‘New Zealand has always been a country that when it sees a need and a gap, it tries to fill it. And that’s never at the expense of our other interests.’’
As well as championing the Christchurch Call, Ms Ardern said she would use her time in New York to pursue trade and investment opportunities and promote greater global action on climate action.
‘‘Facebook’s actions highlight some of the early success of the Christchurch Call and show real change is happening,’’ Ms Ardern said.
‘‘If it’s going to make a significant difference, you need the United States administration, which has the powers — in relation to the Facebooks, the Twitters, the social media multinationals — to effect change.’’
The US did not attend the initial Christchurch Call summit in May or join the agreement but it did issue a statement saying it stood with the international community in condemning terrorist and violent extremist content online. — RNZ