McKinnon to Visit Melanesia and Micronesia

Foreign Minister, Don McKinnon, leaves New Zealand tomorrow (6 August) to visit Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and Fiji.

He will be accompanied by Hon Brian Donnelly, Associate Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Act Leader, Richard Prebble and MPs from the National, Alliance, Labour, and New Zealand First parties. The 40 strong delegation also includes the Race Relations Conciliator, Dr Rajen Prasad; South Pacific Trade Commissioner, Parmesh Chand, and representatives of non-governmental organisations, students and officials. The delegation will travel on an RNZAF Boeing 727 aircraft.

Mr McKinnon said the visit is an important one.

"The South Pacific countries are not only our near neighbours, but the destination for around 3% of New Zealand exports annually [$600 million annually]. They are a significant player in New Zealand's economy.

"My discussions with Leaders and senior ministers will be wide ranging including economic and political developments in these countries, New Zealand's ongoing commitment to the region, economic reform and good governance in the South Pacific, environmental issues such as climate change, and Overseas Development Assistance.

The visit will also provide an opportunity for discussions and an informal exchange of viewpoints with officials prior to the South Pacific Leaders Forum to be held in Pohnpei later in August.

This will be the first time a Ministerial delegation such as this one has visited these countries. Similar trips undertaken by the Minister include visits to the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga in 1995 and to Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Samoa and New Caledonia in 1997.

"We must continue to build relations in the South Pacific. We are culturally and historically interwoven and economically interlinked," Mr McKinnon said. "This visit will increase our understanding of these countries and their ongoing relationship with New Zealand."