List of diplomatic missions of New Zealand

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Countries hosting New Zealand diplomatic missions

This is a list of diplomatic missions of New Zealand. New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZMFAT) is responsible for nearly fifty embassies and consulates globally. The country is particularly active in the South Pacific, as well as in Asia and South America where it is expanding its commercial reach.

As New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, its diplomatic missions in the capitals of fellow member-states are called High Commissions, as opposed to embassies.

This listing excludes honorary consulates and trade offices, except for the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei, which serves as a de facto embassy to Taiwan.

History[edit]

New Zealand independence was a gradual process, and the establishment of an independent New Zealand diplomatic service was similarly gradual. At first, New Zealand's foreign affairs were handled by the United Kingdom, and the only diplomacy conducted by the colonial government in New Zealand were negotiations with the British authorities. Relations between New Zealand and Britain were handled by an Agent-General in London, with the first being appointed in 1871. The title was changed to High Commissioner in 1905, reflecting the increasing autonomy of New Zealand.

It was not until World War II, however, that New Zealand sent permanent diplomatic missions to other countries. To facilitate co-ordination of the war effort New Zealand established several posts in countries with which it was allied—the first was a legation in the United States in 1941. In 1942 and 1943, high commissions were opened in Ottawa and Canberra respectively, and in 1944, a legation was established in the Soviet Union. The latter was considered a striking departure from New Zealand's previous diplomatic activities—enthusiasm for the post was strongest in the governing Labour Party, and the opposition National Party later made its closure one of their campaign policies.

The opening of these posts prompted New Zealand to establish its own foreign ministry, the Department of External Affairs. Created by the External Affairs Act in June 1943, the new Department incorporated an older office of the same name (dealing with island territories) and those sections of the Prime Minister's office which had previously co-ordinated diplomacy.

In 1947, a resident trade representative was appointed in Japan, followed by the establishment of legations in Paris (1949) and The Hague (1950). By the late 1950s, these three posts, along with Washington, had been upgraded to embassies —. However, fulfilling its promise the Moscow post was closed in 1950 by the new National Party government. From 1955 to 1961, a string of new missions opened in Asia—Singapore, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. When Samoa obtained its independence from New Zealand in 1962, it became the first Pacific Island state to host a New Zealand diplomatic post.

The mid-1960s saw a cluster of new posts opening in Europe, with new missions in Belgium, Greece, Germany and Italy. A post was also opened in South Vietnam due to the ongoing conflict there, although this did not last beyond the end of the Vietnam War. A post was established in the Cook Islands after they obtained self-government from New Zealand, becoming New Zealand's second mission in the south Pacific.

The 1970s and 1980s were a time of continued expansion for NZMFAT. In 1973, the Labour government of Norman Kirk reopened its embassy in the Soviet Union and opened an embassy in the People's Republic of China. However it was in the Pacific where New Zealand's representation rapidly expanded as several countries gained independence, including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Frequently New Zealand was the first country to establish a mission in these states. New Zealand also expanded into the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and elsewhere in Asia.

The early 1990s were a time of substantial reorganisation of New Zealand's diplomatic missions, and saw a number of closures. A substantial redistribution of New Zealand's European resources took place—posts in Greece and Austria were closed, while a new post was established in Spain. New Zealand's post in Iraq was closed due to the Gulf War, and the post in Bahrain was shut shortly afterwards—the post in Saudi Arabia assumed most of its duties, aided by a new post in Turkey. The end of apartheid in resulted in a decision to move New Zealand's post in Zimbabwe to South Africa. In South America New Zealand's embassy in Peru was also closed, but missions were opened in Brazil and Argentina.

In April 2008 it was announced that the budget for NZMFAT would be dramatically increased, and would include the opening of new missions in Stockholm and Brisbane.[1]

On 4 May 2010 the Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully announced that New Zealand's diplomatic relations with Afghanistan will be formally represented by the first resident ambassador to Kabul, retired Army Brigadier Neville Reilly. In addition the first Civil Director of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Bamyan will be led by retired Air Commodore Dick Newlands of the Air Force. The Civil Director will replace the military aspects of the PRT with greater emphasis on civilian provided resources and services for the people of Bamyan.

Current missions[edit]

Africa[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Concurrent accreditation Ref.
 Egypt Cairo Embassy
Countries:
[2]
 Ethiopia Addis Ababa Embassy
International Organizations:
[3][4]
 South Africa Pretoria High Commission [3][5]

Americas[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Concurrent accreditation Ref.
 Argentina Buenos Aires Embassy
Countries:
[6][7]
 Brazil Brasília Embassy [6]
São Paulo Consulate-General [6]
 Canada Ottawa High Commission [6]
Vancouver Consulate General [6]
 Chile Santiago de Chile Embassy
Countries:
[6]
 Colombia Bogotá Embassy
Countries:
[6]
 Mexico Mexico City Embassy [6]
 United States Washington, D.C. Embassy [6]
Honolulu Consulate-General [6]
Los Angeles Consulate-General [6]
New York City Consulate-General [6]

Asia[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Concurrent accreditation Ref.
 China Beijing Embassy
Countries:
Chengdu Consulate-General
Guangzhou Consulate-General
Hong Kong Consulate-General
Shanghai Consulate-General
 East Timor Dili Embassy
 India New Delhi High Commission
Countries:
Mumbai Consulate-General
 Indonesia Jakarta Embassy [4]
 Iran Tehran Embassy
Countries:
[2][4]
 Japan Tokyo Embassy
 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur High Commission
Countries:
 Myanmar Yangon Embassy
 Philippines Manila Embassy
 Saudi Arabia Riyadh Embassy
Countries:
[2]
 Singapore Singapore High Commission
 South Korea Seoul Embassy
Countries:
 Sri Lanka Colombo High Commission
Countries:
[8]
 Taiwan Taipei Commerce & Industry Office [9]
 Thailand Bangkok Embassy
Countries:
 Turkey Ankara Embassy
Countries:
[2]
 United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi Embassy
Countries:
[2]
Dubai Consulate-General
 Vietnam Hanoi Embassy
Ho Chi Minh City Consulate-General

Europe[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Concurrent accreditation Ref.
 Austria Vienna Embassy
Countries:
[10]
 Belgium Brussels Embassy
Countries:
[10]
 France Paris Embassy
Countries:
International Organizations:
[10]
Nouméa, New Caledonia Consulate-General [11]
 Germany Berlin Embassy
Countries:
[10]
Hamburg Consulate-General [10]
 Ireland Dublin Embassy [10]
 Italy Rome Embassy [10]
Milan Consulate-General [10]
 Netherlands The Hague Embassy [10]
 Poland Warsaw Embassy
Countries:
[10]
 Russia Moscow Embassy [10]
 Spain Madrid Embassy
Countries:
[10]
 Sweden Stockholm Embassy
Countries:
[10]
  Switzerland Geneva Consulate-General [12]
 United Kingdom London High Commission
International Organizations:
[10][13]

Oceania[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Concurrent accreditation Ref.
 Australia Canberra High Commission [11]
Melbourne Consulate-General [11][14]
Sydney Consulate-General [11][15]
 Fiji Suva High Commission [11][5]
 Cook Islands Avarua High Commission [11]
 Kiribati Tarawa High Commission [11]
 Niue Alofi High Commission [11]
 Papua New Guinea Port Moresby High Commission [11]
 Samoa Apia High Commission [11]
 Solomon Islands Honiara High Commission [11]
 Tonga Nukuʻalofa High Commission [11]
 Vanuatu Port Vila High Commission [11][5]

Multilateral organisations[edit]

Organization Host City Host country Mission Concurrent accreditation Ref.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Jakarta Indonesia Permanent Mission
 European Union Brussels Belgium Permanent Mission
International Organizations:
 United Nations New York City United States Permanent Mission
Geneva Switzerland Permanent Mission
International Organizations:
 World Trade Organization Geneva Switzerland Permanent Mission

Gallery[edit]

Closed missions[edit]

Africa[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Year closed Ref.
 Zimbabwe Harare Embassy 1998 [16]

Americas[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Year closed Ref.
 Peru Lima Embassy 1990 [16]
 Canada Toronto Consulate-General 1982 [16]

Asia[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Year closed Ref.
 Afghanistan Kabul Embassy 2014 [16]
 Bahrain Manama Embassy 1991 [16]
 Iraq Baghdad Embassy 2020 [16][17]
 Japan Osaka Consulate-General 1999 [16]
 South Vietnam Saigon Embassy 1975 [16]

Europe[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Year closed Ref.
 Greece Athens Embassy 1991 [16]

Oceania[edit]

Host country Host city Mission Year closed Ref.
 Australia Adelaide Consulate-General 1990 [16]
Brisbane Consulate-General 2010 [16]
Perth Consulate-General 1990 [16]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Accredited as an observer mission.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Young, Audrey (17 April 2008). "Foreign Ministry gets $621m boost". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Countries and Regions:Middle East". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Countries and Regions:Africa". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Minister of Foreign Affairs makes three diplomatic appointments". Beehive.gov.nz. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Minister of Foreign Affairs makes three diplomatic appointments". Beehive.gov.nz. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Countries and Regions:Americas". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Misiones Diplomáticas Permanentes" (in Spanish). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  8. ^ "New Zealand High Commission to Sri Lanka". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  9. ^ Office, New Zealand Commerce and Industry. "Home". New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Countries and Regions:Europe". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Countries and Regions:Australia and Pacific". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  12. ^ New Zealand Permanent Mission & Consulate-General in Geneva
  13. ^ "Bede Corry appointed as next High Commissioner to United Kingdom". Devdiscourse. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  14. ^ Trade, corporateName= Department of Foreign Affairs and. "The Department - About us - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". protocol.dfat.gov.au.
  15. ^ Trade, corporateName= Department of Foreign Affairs and. "The Department - About us - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". protocol.dfat.gov.au.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Our Story". www.mfat.govt.nz.
  17. ^ "Foreign Affairs Minister announces embassy closure in Iraq". The Beehive. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

External links[edit]