Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TradeGovernment

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is the public service department of New Zealand responsible for advising the government on foreign policy and international trade. It represents New Zealand's interests abroad, negotiates international agreements, and manages the country's diplomatic and consular network. The institution traces its origins to the creation of the Department of External Affairs in 1943 during the Second World War to assert independent foreign relations. It adopted its current structure and name in 1993 after merging foreign policy and external trade portfolios.