Annual Report 30 June 2012

Our Vision and Mission

Our Vision is to give New Zealand an edge internationally.

It is our mission to create the conditions for New Zealand to thrive and to make its mark as a global citizen by:

• Being in the right place at the right time to actively drive new opportunities for New Zealand as well as to manage threats
• Building connections at home and internationally that enable us to achieve more than we could alone
• Taking a distinctly New Zealand approach, reflecting our diversity and heritage of integrity in foreign affairs
• Maintaining the highest standards of professional excellence in diplomacy, trade negotiations, international development and consular services.

Who we are

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for promoting and protecting New Zealand's interests abroad. The Ministry works for Ministers in four ministerial portfolios:

• foreign affairs
• trade
• international climate change negotiations
• official development assistance.

The Ministry has two votes: Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade, which also provides funding to one Crown entity (New Zealand Antarctic Institute) and two Crown charitable trusts (Pacific Cooperation Foundation and Asia New Zealand Foundation), and Vote Official Development Assistance. The Ministry has a joint role with the Ministry of Economic Development to monitor the performance of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).

What we do

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade helps New Zealand to navigate the global environment by being highly engaged in that environment, by effectively and creatively representing New Zealand's interests abroad, and by providing the highest quality policy advice to the New Zealand Government on New Zealand's response to the global environment.

Our key activities:

• analysis and advice
• representing and advocating
• negotiating with other governments
• designing and implementing visits and other events
• managing official development assistance
• consular services
• coordinating NZ Inc strategies.

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