McKinnon Represents NZ on Commonwealth Mission

Foreign Minister Don McKinnon departs New Zealand tonight to join a high level Commonwealth mission tasked with promoting the interests of smaller states.

From July 9 to 15 the Commonwealth Ministerial Mission on Small States will travel to Washington, Geneva, Brussels and London for meeting with the heads of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organisation (WTO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and European Commission (EC).

Mr McKinnon said this Mission, the first of its type, was necessary to educate large international agencies on the unique set of issues affecting small states.

"Isolation and remoteness, vulnerability to natural disasters, and narrow export bases are issues which affect more than two thirds of Commonwealth countries," he said.

"We will be encouraging key multilateral agencies to be sensitive to the needs of small states when considering concessional finance, concessional trading arrangements and other forms of assistance."

Mr McKinnon was asked to join the Mission by the Commonwealth Secretary General during his visit to New Zealand in April.

"It is an honour for New Zealand to be part of this mission," he said.

"We have a long and positive track record of promoting the welfare of small states."

The Mission is being led by Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur and also includes Ministers from Fiji, Lesotho and Mauritius.

While in Washington on 7-8 July, Mr McKinnon will call on senior Administration representatives in the State Department and the Pentagon, as well as key Congressional figures.

Mr McKinnon returns to New Zealand on Friday 17 July.