PM and Foreign Affairs Minister to attend PIF

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will attend the 55th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' Meeting in Palau.

"New Zealand wants a Pacific region that is peaceful, prosperous, and resilient.

"The Pacific is facing a more complex set of challenges than ever before, and no one country can respond to them alone," Mr Luxon says.

"Overseas conflicts, economic uncertainty, and geopolitical competition have significant implications for Pacific countries, and we are feeling the consequences of these events more than ever.

"That is why we will be in Palau, working with our Pacific counterparts to deliver practical outcomes for our region."

Mr Peters says the Pacific has been a central focus of the Government's Foreign Policy Reset.

"We have placed a huge emphasis on the Pacific. For the first time in New Zealand history, we have undertaken high-level visits to all Pacific Islands Forum countries in the space of a single term," he says.

"On top of that, we have welcomed a range of Pacific leaders to New Zealand.

"This has been a vital programme of engagement with Pacific partners as we look ahead to New Zealand hosting the Forum next year."

Mr Peters will travel to Palau with a range of Pacific Leaders on 29 August, returning to New Zealand on 2 September, while Mr Luxon will travel from 3-5 September to attend the Pacific Leaders' Retreat.

New Zealand will host the PIF Leaders' Meeting in 2027.