List of diplomatic missions of New Zealand explained

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

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

Africa

Host countryHost cityMissionYear OpenedConcurrent accreditation
CairoEmbassy2006[2]
Addis AbabaEmbassy2013[3] [4]
PretoriaHigh Commission1996[5]

Americas

Host countryHost cityMissionYear OpenedConcurrent accreditation
Buenos AiresEmbassy1998[6] [7]
BrasíliaEmbassy2001
São PauloConsulate-General2022
OttawaHigh Commission1942
VancouverConsulate General2022
Santiago de ChileEmbassy1972
BogotáEmbassy2018
Mexico CityEmbassy1983
Washington, D.C.Embassy1941
HonoluluConsulate-General2014
Los AngelesConsulate-General1935
New York CityConsulate-General1947

Asia

Host countryHost cityMissionYear OpenedConcurrent accreditation
BeijingEmbassy1973
ChengduConsulate-General2014
GuangzhouConsulate-General2013
Hong KongConsulate-General1960
ShanghaiConsulate-General1992
DiliEmbassy2000
New DelhiHigh Commission1957
MumbaiConsulate-General2019
JakartaEmbassy 1961
TehranEmbassy1975
TokyoEmbassy1947
Kuala LumpurHigh Commission1959
YangonEmbassy2013
ManilaEmbassy1975
RiyadhEmbassy1985
SingaporeHigh Commission1955
SeoulEmbassy1971
ColomboHigh Commission2022[8]
TaipeiCommerce & Industry Office1973[9]
BangkokEmbassy1956
AnkaraEmbassy1993
Abu DhabiEmbassy2011
DubaiConsulate-General2007
HanoiEmbassy1995
Ho Chi Minh CityConsulate-General

Europe

Host countryHost cityMissionYear OpenedConcurrent accreditation
ViennaEmbassy1973[10]
BrusselsEmbassy1967
ParisEmbassy1949
Nouméa, New CaledoniaConsulate-General1972[11]
BerlinEmbassy1966
HamburgConsulate-General2022
DublinEmbassy2018
RomeEmbassy1966
MilanConsulate-General
Embassy1950
WarsawEmbassy2004
MoscowEmbassy1944
MadridEmbassy1991
StockholmEmbassy2008
GenevaConsulate-General1961[12]
LondonHigh Commission1871[13]

Oceania

Host countryHost cityMissionYear OpenedConcurrent accreditation
CanberraHigh Commission1943
MelbourneConsulate-General1905 [14]
SydneyConsulate-General1905[15]
SuvaHigh Commission1970
AvaruaHigh Commission1965
TarawaHigh Commission1989
AlofiHigh Commission1974
Port MoresbyHigh Commission1974
ApiaHigh Commission1962
HoniaraHigh Commission1978
NukuʻalofaHigh Commission1977
Port VilaHigh Commission1987

Multilateral organisations

OrganizationHost CityHost countryMissionYear OpenedConcurrent accreditation
Association of Southeast Asian NationsJakartaIndonesiaMission1961
BrusselsBelgiumPermanent Mission1967
New York CityUnited StatesPermanent Mission1955
GenevaSwitzerlandPermanent Mission1961
GenevaSwitzerlandPermanent Mission1961

Closed missions

Americas

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
LimaEmbassy1990
TorontoConsulate-General1982

Asia

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
KabulEmbassy2014
ManamaEmbassy1991
BaghdadEmbassy2020[17]
OsakaConsulate-General1999
SaigonEmbassy1975

Oceania

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
AdelaideConsulate-General1990
BrisbaneConsulate-General2010
PerthConsulate-General1990

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Foreign Ministry gets $621m boost . Young, Audrey . 17 April 2008 . . 15 October 2011.
  2. Web site: Countries and Regions:Middle East. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. 27 June 2021.
  3. Web site: Countries and Regions:Africa . Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand . 27 June 2021.
  4. Web site: Minister of Foreign Affairs makes three diplomatic appointments . Beehive.gov.nz . 27 July 2021 . 27 January 2022.
  5. Web site: Minister of Foreign Affairs makes three diplomatic appointments . Beehive.gov.nz . 30 September 2021 . 27 January 2022.
  6. Web site: Countries and Regions:Americas . Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand . 27 June 2021.
  7. Web site: Misiones Diplomáticas Permanentes . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay . Spanish . 23 August 2023.
  8. Web site: New Zealand High Commission to Sri Lanka . Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand . 6 September 2021.
  9. Web site: Home. New Zealand Commerce and Industry. Office. New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office.
  10. Web site: Countries and Regions:Europe. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. 27 June 2021.
  11. Web site: Countries and Regions:Australia and Pacific. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand. 27 June 2021.
  12. https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/intergovernmental-organisations/united-nations-and-world-trade-organisation/permanent-mission-to-the-united-nations-and-conference-on-disarmament-geneva/ New Zealand Permanent Mission & Consulate-General in Geneva
  13. Web site: Bede Corry appointed as next High Commissioner to United Kingdom . Devdiscourse . 7 November 2019 . 22 March 2022.
  14. Web site: The Department - About us - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. corporateName= Department of Foreign Affairs and. Trade. protocol.dfat.gov.au.
  15. Web site: The Department - About us - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. corporateName= Department of Foreign Affairs and. Trade. protocol.dfat.gov.au.
  16. Web site: Our Story. www.mfat.govt.nz.
  17. Web site: Foreign Affairs Minister announces embassy closure in Iraq. 2021-06-27. The Beehive.

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