Chris Seed will be New Zealand's next High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff announced today.

Mr Seed will take up the position in April, replacing Nigel Moore.

"Papua New Guinea is the largest of the Pacific Island states and plays a key role in the Pacific Islands Forum and in regional affairs.

"Our High Commissioner has a key role in developing and strengthening the good relationship already established between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

"The various assignments Mr Seed has undertaken, both in his earlier career and in more recent postings such as Honiara (where he was deputy leader and senior New Zealander in the International Peace Monitoring Team), mean he will be ideally suited to this role," said Mr Goff.

Mr Goff said Papua New Guinea and New Zealand enjoy a broad and substantial relationship. New Zealand efforts in working with other regional partners to resolve the Bougainville crisis have strengthened the already solid links.

Mr Seed joined MFAT in 1985. He has had postings in Tehran, Canberra, London and the Solomon Islands, and has served on several New Zealand delegations to United Nations meetings.

In Wellington he has worked in the Ministry's Europe, South East Asia, and Development Cooperation Divisions.

ENDS

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