By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The New Zealand Labour party has called on the country taking to take a more active role in resolving international conflicts, particularly among countries in the Pacific.  Envisioning a role similar to that played by Norway, Senior Cabinet minister Phil Goff proposed a plan for New Zealand  to make “a strong contribution in areas like peacekeeping, disarmament, inter-faith dialogue and development assistance.”

According to Goff, New Zealand’s non-nuclear stance and reputation for being a small, non-arrogant nation makes it well-placed to take on this new role.  “New Zealand has a reputation as a country which thinks independently and makes a strong contribution in areas like peacekeeping, disarmament, inter-faith dialogue and development assistance,” Goff said. “We can leverage off this to expand our contribution to conflict resolution.”

Specific aspects of the plan call for government officials to work with prominent academics towards resolving conflict.  The plan also calls for assembling of conflict resolution teams made up of academics, diplomats and others who would be offered to the United Nations.

The Government’s May Budget gave the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade $621 million over five years, much of which was used in expanding New Zealand’s presence abroad.

For more information, please see:
Stuff.co.nz – Norway-style role mooted – 02 November 2008

Radio New Zealand International – Labour aims to expand NZ’s role in international conflict resolution – 31 October 2008