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Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand will be among the first countries to sign the Arms Trade Treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly last month.

The Treaty, which is the first to regulate the global trade in conventional arms, opens for signature in New York on June 3.

“This Treaty is a landmark step in the international community’s efforts to mitigate the serious security and humanitarian consequences of the illicit arms trade,” Mr McCully says.

Sport and Recreation Minister Murray McCully today appointed former Silver Ferns and Black Ferns manager Jackie Barron to the board of Sport New Zealand.

“Mrs Barron is a seasoned educator and sports administrator with more than a decade of experience at the highest level of netball and women’s rugby,” Mr McCully says.

Mrs Barron managed the Black Ferns during their 2002 Women’s Rugby World Cup victory and has also managed the Silver Ferns, Southern Sting and New Zealand under 21 netball sides.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand is providing a further $6 million to help Samoa recover from Cyclone Evan.

“The Samoan Government is working as quickly as possible to repair and rebuild - New Zealand is committed to supporting that effort,” Mr McCully says.

“This funding will go toward general reconstruction activities, with a focus on rebuilding for resistance to future natural disasters.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of career diplomat John Mataira as Ambassador to Afghanistan.

“New Zealand has made a significant commitment to Afghanistan over the last 10 years, and while our Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) has now left Bamyan, that commitment will continue through our development projects and military personnel based in Kabul,” Mr McCully says.

Thank you for being here.

It's great to be back in Washington, and to see so many friends of New Zealand here today.

I attended the first of these forums in April 2006 and each subsequent gathering.

I want to reflect briefly on how the role of this Forum has changed, just as the NZ/US relationship has changed and continues to change.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will depart late this week on a two-week trip to the United States and Caribbean.

“The relationship between New Zealand and the US has gone from strength to strength over the last five years,” Mr McCully says.

In Washington, Mr McCully will meet his counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, and attend the fifth US-NZ Partnership Forum, which brings together public and private sector leaders from both countries for discussions on business, trade and investment, security, and foreign policy issues.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of career diplomat Wendy Hinton as Ambassador to Poland.

“New Zealand and Poland have strong historical ties, having fought together in Europe in World War II, and this year we are celebrating our 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations,” Mr McCully says.

“Poland’s expanding economy offers opportunities for New Zealand business, particularly in education services and agri-business.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today named Clare Kelly as New Zealand’s new Ambassador to Mexico.

“Latin America is becoming an increasingly important partner for New Zealand,” Mr McCully says.

“Mexico is our largest trading partner in the region but there is huge scope to further advance our relationship through trade and economic links.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide such an important gathering with an update on New Zealand’s Foreign Policy.

I want to use this occasion to provide a quick review of the status of our relationships and from that base to look forward at some of the issues we will need to confront in the years immediately ahead.

I think I can report to you that all of our important relationships are in good repair.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will meet his counterpart from Poland, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, tomorrow.

Mr Sikorski’s visit marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Poland.

“New Zealand has a warm relationship with Poland, which is fast becoming an influential member of the European Union,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the International Court of Justice’s announcement that on 8 July it will hear New Zealand’s submission on the case brought by Australia against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.

Australia’s case questions the validity of Japan’s so-called “scientific” whaling programme in the Southern Ocean. New Zealand is intervening in the case, which means it is able to put its views on the proper interpretation of the Whaling Convention before the Court.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will depart today on a two-week trip to Africa and Europe.

Mr McCully will be attending bilateral meetings and promoting New Zealand’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

In Africa, Mr McCully will visit South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Mauritius and Mozambique, and meet the Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission.

The Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group (MCG) visited Fiji today. The MCG met with Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, Interim Minister of Foreign Affairs of Fiji, Mr. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Interim Attorney General of Fiji, political leaders, representatives of civil society organisations and trade unions.

The MCG thanked the Fiji Interim Government for hosting the Group and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat for making the programme arrangements. The MCG also thanked the political leaders, representatives of civil society groups and trade unions for meeting with them.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Fiji tomorrow to chair a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group (MCG). This will be the first visit to Fiji by the MCG since May 2012.

“The MCG is the mechanism set up by Forum leaders at a special meeting in Auckland in 2008 to monitor developments in Fiji,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of diplomat Rebecca Needham as New Zealand’s Consul-General in Guangzhou, China.

Ms Needham will be the first Guangzhou Consul-General to be appointed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The post has until now been managed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced New Zealand will send medical staff to the Solomon Islands following an outbreak of dengue fever.

“The outbreak has put considerable strain on the health system – depleting resources and overwhelming staff,” Mr McCully says.

There are almost 1700 suspected cases of dengue fever - 1200 of those in Honiara - and three reported deaths.

“New Zealand will send a doctor and a nurse to support the Solomon Islands Government response to the outbreak,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the approval of the Arms Trade Treaty by the United Nations General Assembly in New York.  

“The Arms Trade Treaty is the first international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global arms trade,” Mr McCully says.

“As well as setting down common global standards for trade in conventional weapons, the adoption of the Treaty will also help prevent illicit arms trade. 

Co-hosts New Zealand and the European Union today announced that a funding envelope of $635 million has been secured at the Pacific Energy Summit in Auckland to advance renewable energy projects across the Pacific.

Pacific countries presented 79 projects at the Summit, providing donors and the private sector with opportunities to identify projects for partnership and collaboration. Partners and donors have responded by committing $255 million in grant funding and $380 million in concessional loans to support over 40 of the proposed projects.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of Amanda Ellis as Permanent Representative to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva.

“I am delighted Ms Ellis is going to lead New Zealand’s team in Geneva to further enhance our relationship with the UN and other specialised agencies based there.  She will be looking to leverage New Zealand’s reputation and influence in those bodies in support of the Security Council campaign,” Mr McCully says.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has welcomed the strong private sector presence when Pacific leaders, international donors and energy experts meet in Auckland for the two-day Pacific Energy Summit next week. Over 100 local and international companies will participate.

The Summit, announced by Mr McCully yesterday, will take place from 25 to 26 March at the Viaduct Events Centre. Co-hosted with the European Union, it aims to connect Pacific countries with major donors to boost investment in renewable energy projects in the region.

Most of New Zealand’s Pacific neighbours should move close to achieving 50 per cent of their electricity from renewable means as a result of the two-day Pacific Energy Summit being hosted in Auckland jointly by New Zealand and the European Union next week.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of Hayden Montgomery as Ambassador to Argentina.

“New Zealand and Argentina share many interests ranging from global agricultural trade liberalisation to Antarctica and the Southern Oceans,” Mr McCully says.

“As Argentina is one of the world’s main agriculture and livestock producers, there is tremendous scope for our industries to work together to meet the increasing global demand for food, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today announced the appointment of Simon Tucker as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Canada.

“As Commonwealth countries, New Zealand and Canada have shared a close relationship for many years,” Mr McCully says.

“And now, as partners in the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, we are working together on an ambitious, comprehensive agreement that will further integrate our economies in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today congratulated his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, following his appointment to the 12th National People’s Congress in Beijing.

“New Zealand and China have an expanding bilateral relationship with strong political, economic and cultural connections,” Mr McCully says.

“Both New Zealand and China are interested in cooperating on issues that affect the Asia-Pacific region.