Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta will travel to Rwanda this week to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali.
It will be the first CHOGM meeting held since 2018.
“Reconnecting New Zealand with the world is our priority as we move forward post-COVID, and engaging with other members of the Commonwealth is an important part of that,” said Ms Mahuta.
“The biennial CHOGM meeting provides us with a unique opportunity to engage with 54 member countries from across the globe, and set the agenda for the Commonwealth for the next two years.”
This year’s theme for the meeting is ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating and Transforming’ in a post-COVID environment.
“I look forward to deepening our links across the Commonwealth during the week. It will be valuable to connect kanohi ki te kanohi, particularly with those I have yet to meet in person,” Minister Mahuta said.
While at CHOGM, Ms Mahuta will take the opportunity for bilateral meetings with counterparts and leaders of countries where in-person travel has been difficult due to COVID restrictions. She will also host a working lunch for representatives of Pacific member states.
“I would also like to thank Rwanda for hosting CHOGM this year. The uncertainty around COVID-19 has made organising this event particularly challenging but I am glad we are able to go ahead in 2022,” she said.
The Foreign Minister departs on Sunday and will return on Tuesday 28 June.
More information can be found on the CHOGM 2022 website.
