oreign Minister Gerry Brownlee today announced the appointment of career diplomat Jonathan Curr as High Commissioner to Fiji.

“The Fiji – New Zealand relationship has warmed since 2014, with the reciprocal visits of former Prime Minister John Key and Prime Minister Bainimarama in 2016 a significant milestone,” Mr Brownlee says.

“New Zealand’s bilateral engagement with Fiji continues to grow in terms of two way trade, tourism, defence and development.

“New Zealanders travel to Fiji in ever increasing numbers to enjoy the sun and sea, and Fiji is our largest trade relationship in the Pacific.

“We also have close defence links in the Pacific and in international deployments,” Mr Brownlee says.

In 2018 Fiji will be focused on national elections, for which New Zealand is providing technical assistance to the Fiji Electoral Office.

Mr Curr is currently Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, cross-accredited to the State of Israel, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Georgia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He has also served at the New Zealand Embassy in Cairo and the New Zealand High Commission in Nuku’alofa.

| A Beehive release  ||  August 25,  2017   |||