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David WalkerMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade CEO John Allen has announced the appointment of David Walker to the position of Deputy Secretary – Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa – commencing after Easter 2011.
In this position, Dr Walker will contribute significantly to the leadership of the wider Ministry.
Dr Walker is currently New Zealand’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO in Geneva and is also serving as the Chair of the Doha Round agriculture negotiations.
Mr Allen said Dr Walker will remain in Geneva until Easter next year to provide leadership to New Zealand’s Doha Round negotiating effort and to guide the agriculture negotiations. “The process to appoint a replacement for Dr Walker as New Zealand’s WTO Ambassador will start shortly.”
The decision on a new Chair of the WTO Doha Round Agriculture Negotiations will be made by WTO members.
Dr Walker led New Zealand’s negotiations with China that created the NZ-China Free Trade Agreement. He was also the lead negotiator for the P4 trade agreement between Singapore, Chile, Brunei and New Zealand – the precursor to the current Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations.
Dr Walker has also been the Ministry’s Principal Economic Adviser, been posted to Washington as Deputy Chief of Mission and been Director of APEC Division when New Zealand chaired APEC in 1999.
Dr Walker joined the Ministry in 1987. He also worked for Telecom New Zealand for two years as its Strategic Issues Manager. He has a PhD in Economics.
Tony Browne, the Ministry’s current acting Deputy Secretary – Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa – will continue in the role until Dr Walker’s return.
Contact:
Chris Wilson
Communications Adviser
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
ph 04 439 8777
mbl 021 375 105
