Editing Politics of New Zealand (section)

==Foreign relations==
{{Main|Foreign relations of New Zealand}}
[[File:Helen Clark UNDP 2010.jpg|thumb|upright|Former New Zealand Prime Minister [[Helen Clark]] served as administrator of the [[United Nations Development Programme]], a senior official at the UN, from 2009 to 2017.]]

New Zealand maintains a network of 32 embassies, 20 [[High commissioner (Commonwealth)|high commission]]s and 95 consulates abroad, and holds relations with about 150 countries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Embassies |url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies/ |website=www.mfat.govt.nz |publisher=New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade |access-date=16 March 2024 |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand – Embassies and Consulates Worldwide |url=https://www.embassy-worldwide.com/country/new-zealand/ |website=Embassy WorldWide |access-date=16 March 2024}}</ref> New Zealand is involved in the [[Pacific Islands Forum]], the [[Pacific Community]], [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]], the [[East Asia Summit]], and the [[ASEAN Regional Forum]].<ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand country brief |url = https://dfat.gov.au/geo/new-zealand/pages/new-zealand-country-brief.aspx |publisher=[[Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)]] |access-date=9 November 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref> It is a member of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]],<ref>{{cite web |title=The Commonwealth |url = https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/peace-rights-and-security/the-commonwealth/ |website=mfat.govt.nz |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade |access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] (OECD),<ref>{{cite web |title=Our global reach |url=http://www.oecd.org/about/members-and-partners/ |website=oecd.org |publisher=OECD |access-date=9 November 2019 |language=en }}</ref> and [[New Zealand and the United Nations|a founding member]] of the [[United Nations]] (UN).<ref>{{cite web |title=New Zealand and the United Nations |url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/new-zealand-and-the-united-nations |website=nzhistory.govt.nz |publisher=New Zealand History Online / Ministry for Culture and Heritage |access-date=9 November 2019 |date=5 August 2014}}</ref> New Zealand is party to a number of [[Free-trade agreements of New Zealand|free-trade agreements]], most prominently [[Closer Economic Relations]] with Australia<ref name="Green">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Green |first=Michael |title=Foreign policy and diplomatic representation |url = https://teara.govt.nz/en/foreign-policy-and-diplomatic-representation/page-6 |encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=9 November 2019 |language=en |date=17 May 2016 }}</ref> and the [[New Zealand–China Free Trade Agreement]].<ref>{{cite web |last1 = Chen |first1=Shu-Ching Jean |title = Landmark Trade Deal Struck By China, New Zealand |url = https://www.forbes.com/2008/04/07/china-nz-fta-markets-econ-cx_jc_0407markets2.html |work=[[Forbes]] |date=7 April 2008 |access-date=29 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

Historically New Zealand [[New Zealand–United Kingdom relations|aligned itself strongly with the United Kingdom]] and had few bilateral relations with other countries. In the later 20th century, relationships in the [[Asia-Pacific]] region became more important. New Zealand has also traditionally [[Australia–New Zealand relations|worked closely with Australia]], whose foreign policy followed a similar historical trend.<ref name="Green"/> In turn, many Pacific Islands (such as [[Samoa]]) have looked to New Zealand's lead. A large proportion of [[New Zealand Agency for International Development|New Zealand's foreign aid]] goes to these countries and many Pacific people migrate to New Zealand for employment.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|first=Geoff|last=Bertram|title=South Pacific economic relations|encyclopedia=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|date=11 March 2010|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/south-pacific-economic-relations/4|access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> Despite the 1986 rupture in the [[ANZUS]] military alliance (as a result of [[New Zealand's nuclear-free policy]]), New Zealand has maintained good working relations with the United States<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Relations With New Zealand |url=https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-new-zealand/ |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |access-date=9 November 2019}}</ref> and Australia on a broad array of international issues.