Skip to main content

Who decided that New Zealand would abstain on the 24 July 2026 United Nations General Assembly vote to reappoint Volker Türk as High Commissioner for Human Rights: Cabinet, the Minister of Foreign Affairs personally, or officials acting under delegated authority?

Answered Question 33608 (2026)
Question published
Reply lodged
Bookmark

Asked by

Vanushi Walters

List MP · Labour Party

Question

  • Who decided that New Zealand would abstain on the 24 July 2026 United Nations General Assembly vote to reappoint Volker Türk as High Commissioner for Human Rights: Cabinet, the Minister of Foreign Affairs personally, or officials acting under delegated authority?

Answered by

Rt Hon Winston Peters

List MP · NZ First · Minister of Foreign Affairs

Answer

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade made the decision. In any given year, New Zealand must take a position on over 500 resolutions or other decisions emerging from the UN system, including the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Economic and Social Council. It is not practical for every such decisions to be taken by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. MFAT takes decisions it considers to be procedural or within existing policy settings.