New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will visit Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, and Australia later this week, the New Zealand government has announced.
Peters will begin his official tour in Adelaide, Australia, where he will attend the six-monthly Australia–New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ Consultations with his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong.
Following his visit to Australia, Peters will travel to South Asia, with scheduled engagements in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and India.
Highlighting the importance of the region, Peters stated: “We are committed to bringing greater focus and energy to New Zealand’s relationships with South Asia. New Zealand must work alongside partners to contribute to a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
In Colombo, he will make the first visit to Sri Lanka by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2013. During his stay, Peters is expected to meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.
“New Zealand and Sri Lanka have invested considerably in boosting our bilateral relationship over the past five years, including the opening of High Commissions in Colombo and Wellington. This visit will provide political momentum and leadership to that process,” Peters said.
He will also make history by becoming the first New Zealand Foreign Minister to visit Nepal, where he will meet with President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Foreign Minister Rana Deuba.
Peters’ South Asian tour will conclude in New Delhi, where he will hold talks with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
The Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to depart New Zealand on 23rd of May and return on 31st of May .
