Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, has announced five new diplomatic appointments.
Tāne Waetford has been named as the next Ambassador to Colombia. The former deputy head of mission to Argentina is currently lead adviser in MFAT’s Trade Policy Engagement and Implementation division.
Former Acting High Commissioner in Kiritbati, Melanie Roberts, has been appointed High Commissioner to Niue.
Minister Peters’ former ministerial adviser and chief of staff, Dr Jon Johansson, was announced as New Zealand’s new Ambassador to Sweden.
Current MFAT’s Security and Organisational Resilience division policy and practice unit manager, Stephen Wong, was named as Ambassador to Timor-Leste. He has also previously served as Consul General in Chengdu and in Shanghai.
Brad Burgess (pictured) will take up the post of Ambassador to United Arab Emirates. Mr Burgess was previously New Zealand’s first resident Ambassador to Ireland.
