Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg had a meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke at the biennial Commonwealth Conference in New Zealand.

Dr Borg attended the conference on local government instead of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi since Malta presently holds the presidency of the Commonwealth until the end of this year.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed how both countries can assist each other in the international scene, with the European Union as well as the Commonwealth.

They made reference to the possibility of student and workers’ exchange visits and the negotiation of a social security agreement between the two countries.

In his speech during the conference, Dr Borg spoke about Malta’s progress in local government and how local councils helped to improve the accessibility of communication and information technology in their locality.