Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced a new partnership between the European Union, New Zealand and the Government of Vanuatu, aimed supporting sustainable agricultural development.

“New Zealand and the EU have a strong track record of working together with Pacific Governments to deliver development gains,” Mr McCully says.

“The Partnership we have entered into today will see the EU and New Zealand providing support to Vanuatu’s agricultural sector, and it is a model for further cooperation between the EU and New Zealand in the region.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced Steve Marshall as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Myanmar.

“New Zealand’s engagement with Myanmar has expanded significantly since the country embarked on its political and economic reform process in 2011,” Mr McCully says.

“New Zealand continues to support Myanmar’s transition to democracy and we upgraded our resident Embassy Office in Myanmar to a full Embassy in 2014.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully and the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Mr Neven Mimica will lead a joint mission to the Pacific this week, accompanied by Minister for Climate Change Issues Paula Bennett.

The NZ EU Pacific Partnership Mission departs 1 June and will travel to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tuvalu.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully travels to Tehran this weekend to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other members of the Government, and then to Turkey for the World Humanitarian Summit.

“My visit to Tehran follows a successful visit to New Zealand by Minister Mohammad Zarif earlier this year,” Mr McCully says.

“Our discussions will cover a range of Middle East regional security issues and trade and economic relations between our two countries.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced $2.5 million in matched funding for New Zealand based non-government organisations, to help scale up their response to the Syrian refugee crisis.

“The fighting in Syria has killed more than half a million people and forced 11 million from their homes,” Mr McCully says.

“Neighbouring countries, such as Jordan and Turkey, are bearing the brunt of this refugee crisis and the funding we have announced today will help deliver practical support to displaced Syrian communities across the region.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Speech

As delivered by Hon. Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs, 11 May 2016 (New York time).

Mr President, members of the Security Council, may I start by thanking Minister Shoukry for convening this debate on countering terrorist narratives and ideologies.

Today we deal with a threat whose scale and spread requires a global and collective response, and surely commands the attention of the Security Council.

My country, New Zealand, once regarded itself as largely removed from the threat of international terrorism, protected by its geography.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Speech

As Delivered by Hon Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs, 10 May, 2016 (New York time)

Mr President, Excellencies.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this debate, and for challenging us to ask how well the United Nations is performing at heading off and responding to situations of conflict.

A robust international rules-based system, and a respected United Nations institution to maintain those rules, lies at the heart of New Zealand’s political, economic and security outlook.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully travels to New York next week for meetings of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council.

“The United Nations General Assembly has called for a high-level debate on the peace and security challenges that the UN currently faces,” Mr McCully says.

“This is an opportunity to make the case for the UN to invest more in conflict prevention, in order to address threats to security before they escalate. 

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Speech

Delivered in New York, Monday 18 April 2016 (local time).

Thank you Mr President and other members of the Security Council.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and Foreign Minister Murray McCully have announced that the New Zealand Defence Force have completed post-Winston relief operations in Fiji and are preparing to return home.

"The NZDF’s operation in Fiji is one of our biggest peacetime deployments to the Pacific, with close to 500 personnel, two ships and six aircraft, involved in delivering hundreds of tonnes of critical aid," Mr Brownlee says.

Gerry Brownlee Murray McCully Defence Foreign Affairs
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Foreign Minister Murray McCully travels to New York this weekend for UN Security Council related meetings, and will then travel to the UK, Germany and France.

Minister McCully will participate in a UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East region on Monday 18 April and will undertake a series of related bilateral meetings in New York.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has welcomed the upcoming visit to New Zealand by 10 Pacific Fisheries Ministers.

“The Pacific’s largest asset economic asset is its fisheries and we are committed to helping Pacific nations to manage this resource in a sustainable way,” Mr McCully says.

“Next week Ministers from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, will be in New Zealand to gain a first-hand understanding of our approach to fisheries management.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully travels to the Middle East this weekend for meetings in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. 

“As an elected member of the United Nations Security Council, New Zealand has a role to play in addressing the pressing crises affecting the Middle East, including the conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq,” Mr McCully says.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced a $10 million package to help Fiji repair public infrastructure following Cyclone Winston.

“The impact of Cyclone Winston was widespread and Fiji now faces the long and expensive task of restoring infrastructure,” Mr McCully says.

“Of the funding announced today, $500,000 will used to supply building materials for projects being undertaken by the New Zealand Defence Force in the Lau Islands.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully is in the Cook Islands this week for the annual Cook Islands-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Forum.

“My discussions with Prime Minister Puna and members of his Cabinet will cover a range of matters including New Zealand’s development assistance to the Cook Islands as well as a number of regional issues,” Mr McCully says.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has welcomed the launch of a New Zealand based Pacific think-tank aimed at supporting sustainable development in the region.

“We have identified the need for more targeted research on the Pacific, to underpin development initiatives and support Pacific decision makers,” Mr McCully says.

“The New Zealand Institute for Pacific Research (NZIPR) will work in support of Pacific governments and regional agencies, and will focus on producing the kind of hard-headed analysis that can support sustainable economic development.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has described the most recent Israeli appropriation of land in the occupied Palestinian territories as deeply unhelpful. 

“Israel’s settlement activity continues to threaten the viability of a two-state solution,” Mr McCully says.

“New Zealand would like to see both sides return to the negotiating table and this latest announcement will only serve to push the two parties further apart.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the start of an official visit to New Zealand by the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“The UAE is an important partner for New Zealand in the Gulf region and our 10th largest export destination,” Mr McCully says.

“Our talks will focus on expanding two way trade, regional security issues, and the UAE’s support for renewable energy initiatives in the Pacific.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Speech

Ladies and Gentlemen

Today I would like to give you an overview of New Zealand’s international priorities for 2016, provide an update on our work on the United Nations Security Council, and talk about our role in the Pacific.

But first of all, the reason I’m here in Australia.  Tomorrow, I will be in Canberra for the six-monthly consultations with Julie Bishop.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully will travel to Australia this week to meet with his Australian counterpart, Julie Bishop. 

“These twice-yearly Foreign Ministers’ Consultations are an opportunity to exchange views across a range of foreign policy issues,” Mr McCully says. 

“As well as taking stock of the Trans-Tasman relationship, we will discuss developments in the Pacific, including the post Cyclone Winston recovery effort, and how New Zealand and Australia best assist Fiji. 

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif in Wellington this afternoon.

“We are very pleased to welcome Minister Zarif to New Zealand. His visit is the first by an Iranian Foreign Minister in over ten years and allows us to refresh the relationship between our two countries following the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal in January,” Mr McCully says.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Speech

Acknowledgments

  • Professor Kishore Mahbubani
  • Distinguished guests
  • Ladies and gentlemen

Thank you for the opportunity to address you today and to share New Zealand’s perspective on some of the pressing issues facing our region and the world.

Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge this School’s founder, Lee Kuan Yew, as we approach a year since his passing.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully will travel to Singapore this week to meet Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

“This will be my first visit to Singapore since the country’s general elections in September last year and it is an opportunity to discuss trade and security issues with the new Government,” Mr McCully says.

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs
Release

Foreign Minister Murray McCully today welcomed the adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution imposing new strengthened sanctions on North Korea.

“New Zealand has already condemned North Korea’s recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch,” Mr McCully says.

“North Korea’s actions blatantly contravene previous Security Council resolutions and stand in direct opposition to international opinion. 

Murray McCully Foreign Affairs