Foreign Minister Murray McCully has appointed diplomat Lyndal Walker as New Zealand’s new Ambassador to the Netherlands, to be based in The Hague.

“The Netherlands is an important partner for New Zealand in Europe and The Hague is the seat of multilateral institutions like the International Court of Justice,” Mr McCully says.

“The Netherlands is our fifth largest trading partner in the European Union, and is a strong source of foreign investment into New Zealand.

“In addition to these economic ties, more than 25,000 Dutch tourists visit New Zealand annually and over 150,000 people of Dutch descent now live in New Zealand,” Mr McCully says.

Ms Walker is currently the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Consular Division and has served as Counsellor and Consul General in Washington DC. Ms Walker will also be accredited to Denmark, Finland, and Norway, and manage New Zealand’s relationship with the International Court of Justice and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons