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The purpose of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (“the Ministry” or “MFAT”) is to provide objective advice on international relations, advance and protect New Zealand’s security and trade interests abroad, manage New Zealand’s overseas aid programme, and provide consular support for New Zealanders overseas. It is also the channel for the Government’s official communications to and from other governments and international organisations. This is expressed in the Ministry’s overarching mission:
New Zealand’s security and prosperity interests are advanced and protected, our voice is heard abroad.
The Ministry works for Ministers in three portfolio areas: Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Disarmament and Arms Control.
The New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) is an agency within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. With a mandate to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) outcomes are consistent with and support New Zealand's foreign policy outcomes, the agency is responsible for policy advice on, and the design and management of, development cooperation programmes with New Zealand development partners. The agency's core geographic and policy focus is on sustainable economic development in the Pacific.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Responsible Minister who oversees the Government’s ownership interest in the Ministry.
The Ministry administers two Votes on behalf of the Minister: Vote Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Vote: Official Development Assistance. The Foreign Affairs and Trade Vote also provides funding to one Crown Entity and two Crown charitable trusts (see the Additional Information section). In conjunction with the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), the Ministry has a joint role in monitoring the performance of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).
The Ministry is the Government’s lead adviser on foreign and trade policy, international law, and diplomatic, consular and development assistance issues. As a career diplomatic service it competes for influence internationally by means of well-delivered initiatives and interventions using presence, persuasion, and negotiation. It also has a key role to play in presenting New Zealand’s face and case to the non-government international audience in an increasingly crowded and complex public space.
Working with foreign governments and organisationsIt also administers some 30 pieces of legislation, including those relating to the special status of the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau, Antarctica, New Zealand’s nuclear-free zone, the Geneva Conventions and other treaties.
The Ministry’s critical resource is its staff who are highly skilled and knowledgeable with an extensive range of professional qualifications and experience, and an ability to work in foreign cultures and settings and communicate effectively to diverse groups. The Ministry also maintains the Government’s specialist expertise in areas such as international trade negotiations and trade disputes, international climate change negotiations, international law, security dialogue, disarmament and arms control, and development assistance. Its key resources include a global network of posts and information systems to cultivate influence over time and prepare the ground for specific initiatives and interventions. The Ministry supports Government Ministers and official delegations abroad.
Working with other government agenciesThe Government has authorised the heads of New Zealand’s diplomatic posts around the world to ensure that all New Zealand government agencies in a country operate in a coherent and aligned way in pursuit of the Government’s goals. Further guidelines to enhance this process are being developed as part of a review of NZ Inc and its mode of operating offshore.
The Ministry’s network of overseas posts provides office accommodation and support services to some 110 staff from other government agencies serving abroad. Ministry staff offshore also act on behalf of other agencies when required.
Working with the wider communityThe Ministry also engages with the wider community on international issues and the direction of New Zealand’s foreign and trade and development policy. Its domestic stakeholders include business organisations and the private sector, academia and the media, non-government organisations (NGOs), Māori, and various interest groups. At times the Ministry conducts domestic consultative processes with civil society and specific interest groups to secure the widest possible ownership of initiatives or policy positions, eg the private sector has a key role in our work to negotiate Closer Economic Partnerships or Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other countries.
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