Monday, February 17, 2025

Foreign Minister headed to Middle East talks

Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, will today head to the Middle East for six days of security partnership talks in Egypt and Europe.

The Minister said his travel will also include broader engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza, with Mr Peters to attend the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels and undertake bilateral visits to Egypt, Poland, and Sweden. 

“Since taking office late last year, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand’s traditional security partners,” he said. 

“New Zealand can only protect and advance our interests by working with traditional partners with whom we have a shared strategic assessment of the challenges the world faces. This visit, including through my attendance at the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, will progress those traditional partnerships.

“New Zealand is part of an overwhelming international consensus demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. This travel will allow us to share information and perspectives with a range of interested parties and coordinate on broad international action.”

Mr Peters will have programmes in: 

  • Cairo, Egypt, 1 April, including meetings with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gait.
  • Warsaw, Poland, 2 April, including meeting with Foreign Minister RadosÅ‚aw Sikorski and a visit to Ukraine House, a community organisation that helps Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw.
  • Brussels, Belgium, 3-4 April, including attendance at the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, alongside counterparts from Australia, Japan, Korea and the European Union.
  • Stockholm, Sweden, 5-6 April, including meeting with Foreign Minister Tobias Billström.

Minister Peters departed New Zealand today for the Middle East.

Latest Articles