# Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT; Māori: Manatū Aorere) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on foreign and trade policy, and promoting New Zealand's interests in trade and international relations.

## History

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) was first established as the Department of External Affairs (NZDEA) on 11 June 1943 through an Act of Parliament. This decision was prompted by a need for New Zealand to conduct its own external relations and because New Zealand's neighbour Australia already had its own Department of External Affairs since 1921. Prior to that, New Zealand's interests had been represented overseas by the United Kingdom. The establishment of the External Affairs Department was accompanied by the creation of a foreign service and the establishment of diplomatic missions in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Soviet Union between 1942 and 1944. Like its similarly named Australian and Canadian counterparts, the NZDEA was named "External Affairs" rather than "Foreign Affairs" in deference to the British Government's responsibility for conducting foreign policy on behalf of the British Empire and later the Commonwealth of Nations.
From 1969 to 1988, the Ministry was known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Between 1988 and 1993, the Ministry was renamed the Ministry of External Relations and Trade (MERT). The NZDEA and the MFA was administered by the Prime Minister's Department until 1975. Between 1946 and 1975, the Secretary of External/Foreign Affairs also served concurrently as the Permanent Head of the Prime Minister's Department. For much of this period, several New Zealand Prime Ministers including Peter Fraser, Walter Nash, and Keith Holyoake held the External Affairs portfolio. MFAT had no relation to an earlier Department of External Affairs, which was responsible for administrating New Zealand's South Pacific island dependencies of Niue, the Cook Islands, Tokelau, and Samoa between 1919 and 1943. In 1943, that aforementioned department was renamed the Department of Island Territories. In 1975, the Island Territories Department was dissolved and its functions were absorbed back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

## Functions

The ministry represents New Zealand interests to other governments, including at the United Nations, APEC, TPPA and the WTO. It takes an active role in the Asia-Pacific region, and has been involved in regional security initiatives such as the RAMSI intervention in the Solomon Islands, and negotiating and implementing a peace agreement in Bougainville. It is active in developing export opportunities for local companies, and in 2008 negotiated a free trade agreement with China.
It used to sponsor the Centre for Strategic Studies New Zealand in conjunction with other NZ Government ministries, though the centre is now part of Victoria University of Wellington.

### NZAID

The New Zealand overseas development aid agency New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) was a semi-autonomous agency within the ministry, until it was brought back into the ministry as the International Development Group (IDG). It is a major provider of aid to the Pacific.

## Ministers

The Ministry serves 4 portfolios, 4 ministers and 1 associate minister.
| Officeholder | Portfolios | Other responsibilities |
| Rt Hon Winston Peters | Lead Minister (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| Hon Todd McClay | Minister for Trade | Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| Hon Nicola Grigg | Minister of State for Trade | |
| Hon Simon Watts | Minister of Climate Change | |

## Organisational structure

The Ministry has 653 staff based in Wellington and 661 staff overseas, with consulates and embassies in 53 posts worldwide.

### Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Trade

* Sir Alister McIntosh (1942–1966)
* Sir George Laking (1967–1972)
* Frank Corner (1973–1980)
* Merwyn Norrish (1980–1988)
* Graham Ansell (1989–1993)
* Richard Nottage (1993–1998)
* Neil Walter (1999-2002)
* Simon Murdoch (2002–2009)
* John Allen (2009–2014)
* Brook Barrington (2015–2019)
* Chris Seed (2019–2024)
* Brook Barrington (acting, 2024)
* Bede Corry (2024–present)

## Te Hurumanu

Te Hurumanu is a Te Tiriti partnership group that works alongside the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team to incorporate a Tirohanga Māori perspective into the strategic and policy decisions of Manatū Aorere. Formed to ensure Te Ao Māori views are integrated into addressing policy challenges, Te Hurumanu provide leadership on strategic priorities, advocates for iwi and Māori needs in foreign policy and enhances the Ministry’s understanding of Mātauranga Māori. The group meet bi-monthly and consists of respected members who are chosen for their expertise and governance experience. Their role includes developing a partnership model reflecting Te Tiriti principles, and the Ministry towards fulfilling its Treaty obligations.