Digital Government New Zealand News

AWS boosts NZ’s digital sector with new Cloud Region

Eliza Sayon Sep 24, 2021

2 min read

Amazon’s Web Services (AWS) will be establishing a Cloud Region in New Zealand, further boosting the country’s growing digital sector and aiding in its economic recovery.

“Amazon is the second major global tech provider to invest heavily in establishing a Cloud Region in New Zealand, bringing with it new jobs, exciting new opportunities for the digital sector, and further acceleration to our economic recovery from COVID-19,” Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications Dr David Clark said.

Minister Clark stated that the country’s economic stability in face of the current global challenges creates appealing investment opportunities in the international business community.

The AWS investment is estimated to be around $7.5 billion and will create job opportunities for industries like the construction sector. It will also bring long term benefits for the ICT sector and local innovators to significantly grow in the future.

“We may be a small, island nation a long way from traditional markets, but the borderless digital world continues to present us with new innovative economic opportunities,” Minister Clark said.

Cloud-based technologies, such as the COVID-19 Tracer App, are now being generally accepted as a way to work and innovate digitally in New Zealand. These technologies are said to play an important role in the country’s Digital Economy, Digital Public Service and Cyber plans.

The establishment of the Cloud Region would provide the New Zealand Government, local businesses and communities access to the scale and security of two of the world’s biggest Cloud service providers from Aotearoa.

“Protecting Kiwis’ data and privacy is critically important to the Government. Onshore Cloud facilities give us stronger control of New Zealand’s data because it is held here, where our laws and protections apply.

“This is a step forward for New Zealand’s digital maturity, as we all increasingly adjust to the increasingly digital world,” Minister Clark said.

AWS’ decision to establish a New Zealand Cloud Region was made through the company’s independent choice and was not a government procurement.

Source: Beehive.govt.nz Media Release. Content has been edited for style and length.

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.