Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
Agency overview
JurisdictionNew Zealand
Headquarters195 Lambton Quay,
Wellington
WELLINGTON 6011
41°17′02″S 174°46′32″E / 41.283882°S 174.775604°E / -41.283882; 174.775604
Employees2137
Annual budgetTotal budgets for 2019/20[1]
Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade
Increase$589,698,000
Vote Official Development Assistance
Increase$822,172,000
Ministers responsible
Agency executive
  • Chris Seed,
    Chief Executive and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Websitemfat.govt.nz

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) (

trade policy, and promoting New Zealand's interests
in trade and international relations.

History

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) was first established as the Department of External Affairs (NZDEA) on 11 June 1943 through an

Canadian counterparts, the NZDEA was named "External Affairs" rather than "Foreign Affairs" in deference to the British Government's responsibility for conducting foreign policy on behalf of the British Empire and later the Commonwealth of Nations.[3]

From 1969 to 1988, the Ministry was known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Between 1988 and 1993, the Ministry was renamed the Ministry of External Relations and Trade (MERT). The NZDEA and the MFA was administered by the Prime Minister's Department until 1975. Between 1946 and 1975, the Secretary of External/Foreign Affairs also served concurrently as the Permanent Head of the Prime Minister's Department. For much of this period, several

Department of Island Territories. In 1975, the Island Territories Department was dissolved and its functions were absorbed back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[4]

Functions

The ministry represents New Zealand interests to other governments, including at the

Bougainville. It is active in developing export opportunities for local companies, and in 2008 negotiated a free trade agreement with China
.

It used to sponsor the Centre for Strategic Studies New Zealand in conjunction with other NZ Government ministries, though the centre is now part of Victoria University of Wellington.

NZAID

The New Zealand overseas development aid agency New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) was a semi-autonomous agency within the ministry, until it was brought back into the ministry as the International Development Group (IDG). It is a major provider of aid to the Pacific.

Ministers

The Ministry serves 4 portfolios, 4 ministers and 2 associate minister.[5]

OFFICEHOLDER PORTFOLIO(S) OTHER RESPONSIBILITY(IES)
Rt Hon Winston Peters Lead Minister (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon Todd McClay Minister for Trade Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon Nicola Grigg Minister of State for Trade
Hon Simon Watts Minister of Climate Change
Hon Nicola Willis Associate Minister of Climate Change

Organisational structure

The Ministry has 653 staff based in

53 posts worldwide
.

Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Trade

See also

References

  1. ^ "Total Appropriations for Each Vote". Budget 2019. The Treasury.
  2. ^ Malcolm Templeton, ed., An Eye, An Ear, And a Voice, p.1.
  3. ^ Alan Watt, "The Department of Foreign Affairs," in The Times Survey of Foreign Ministries of the World, ed. Zara Steiner (London: Times Books Limited, 1982), p.35; James Eary, "The Department of External Affairs," in The Times Survey of Foreign Ministries of the World, p.96.
  4. ^ Malcolm Templeton, ed., An Eye, An Ear, And a Voice, pp.1-2.
  5. ^ "Our Ministers". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  6. ^ McKinnon, Don (28 June 1999). "McKinnon welcomes new MFAT Secretary" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 June 2016.
  7. ^ State Services Commission (21 May 2002). "CEO Appointment: MFAT" (Press release). New Zealand Government. Archived from the original on 12 June 2016.
  8. ^ Swann, Allan (30 April 2009). "Mfat culture change to be led by NZ Post CEO John Allen". National Business Review. Archived from the original on 12 June 2016.
  9. ^ Rutherford, Hamish (3 March 2015). "Former diplomat Brook Barrington to head MFAT". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax Media.
  10. ^ State Services Commission (19 December 2018). "Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade appointed". www.ssc.govt.nz. Retrieved 8 June 2019.

Further reading

External links