New WTO Permanent Representative announced

Foreign Minister Murray McCully has announced diplomat Vangelis Vitalis as New Zealand’s next Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva.

“The WTO is of fundamentally import to New Zealand and WTO rules underpin the network of free trade agreements that New Zealand has successfully negotiated over the last two decades,” Mr McCully says. 

“As Permanent Representative, Mr Vitalis will have the job of ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained in current efforts to revive Doha Round talks and in dispute settlement cases.    

“He will also oversee our input into the Trade and Services and Environmental Goods negotiations in Geneva, and ensure that New Zealand is well placed to benefit from joining the WTO Government procurement Agreement,” Mr McCully says.

Mr Vitalis was most recently New Zealand Ambassador to the European Union, NATO and Sweden.