McCully names new Ambassador to Egypt

New Zealand's next Ambassador to Egypt will be career diplomat David Strachan, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today. 

Mr Strachan will also be cross-accredited to Libya, the League of Arab States, and the African Union.

"Egypt plays a key leadership role in the Arab world, and it exerts a significant and moderating influence in the Middle East and beyond," Mr McCully said.

"Our relationship with Egypt is excellent.  We work closely together on nuclear disarmament issues in the New Agenda Coalition, and in multilateral organisations such as the World Trade Organisation. Egypt is also our third largest Middle East market, taking exports of $249 million annually, principally dairy products.

"New Zealand actively supports the efforts of countries such as Egypt in promoting stability in the Middle East, having participated in the Sinai Multinational Force and Observers, which monitors the border between Egypt and Israel, since its establishment in 1982."

Mr Strachan currently heads the Regional Unit of Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has previously served in Jakarta, Seoul, and Port Moresby. IN Cairo he succeeds Rene Wilson, who is returning to Wellington.