Ministerial statements and press releases 2015-2016

Read the statements and press releases from the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during our 2 year seat on the United Nations Security Council from January 2015 - December 2016.

2015

Date	Statement/press release and link	Topic
5 January	Release: New Zealand takes on UN Security Council seat(external link)	Security Council
26 January	Release: NZ condemns latest violence in Ukraine(external link)	Ukraine
15 February	Release: NZ urges all parties to make Ukraine Ceasefire work(external link)	Ukraine
20 February	Release: McCully thanks departing Permanent Representative(external link)	Security Council
21 February	Release: McCully to New York for Security Council debate(external link)	UN Charter
24 February	Statement: NZ statement to UNSC Open Debate on 70^th Anniversary(external link)	UN Charter
16 April	Release: NZ welcomes UNSC resolution on Yemen(external link)	Yemen
24 April	Release: PM delivers speech at International Peace Summit(external link)	Conflict Prevention
17 May	Release: McCully to New York and Caribbean(external link)	Security Council
28 May	Release: Attorney-General to New York for UNSC meeting(external link)	Counter-terrorism
26 June	Speech: Opening address – 2015 Otago Foreign Policy School(external link)	Security Council
2 July	Release: PM – NZ begins Presidency of the UN Security Council(external link)	Presidency
15 July	Release: New Zealand welcomes historic nuclear deal(external link)	Iran
16 July	Release: McCully to New York for UNSC Presidency(external link)	Presidency
21 July	Release: Security Council confirms Iran nuclear deal(external link)	Iran
24 July	Statement: NZ statement to UNSC Middle East Open Debate(external link)	Middle East
28 July	Release: Meeting with US Secretary of State(external link)	Middle East
30 July	Release: NZ expresses deep disappointment at veto on resolution on MH17(external link)	MH 17
30 July	Release: NZ welcomes progress towards peace in Cyprus(external link)	Cyprus
31 July	Statement: NZ statement to SIDS Open Debate(external link)	SIDS
30 September	Statement: UN Security Council statement, Settlement of conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and countering terrorist threat in the region(external link)	Counter-terrorism / Middle East / North Africa
2 October	Statement: PM’s address to 70^th UN General Assembly(external link)	Security Council
2 October	Release: Prime Minister addresses United Nations(external link)	Security Council
19 October	Release: McCully to UN for Middle East Debate(external link)	Middle East
23 October	Statement: UNSC Open Debate – Middle East(external link)	Middle East

2016

Date	Statement/press release and link	topic
17 January	Release: NZ welcomes implementation of Iran nuclear deal(external link)	Iran
19 February	Release: NZ removes UN sanctions against Iran(external link)	Iran
3 March	Release: New Zealand welcomes UN Security Council resolution on North Korea(external link)	DPRK
9 March	Speech: Address to Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy(external link)	Security Council
15 March	Statement: New Zealand’s international priorities for 2016(external link)	Security Council
17 March	Release: NZ concerned at Israeli land appropriations(external link)	Middle East
15 April	Release: McCully to New York and Europe(external link)	Security Council
19 April	Statement: UNSC Open Debate on the situation in the Middle East(external link)	Middle East
3 May	Speech: PM’s speech to NZ Institute of International Affairs(external link)	Security Council
6 May	Release: McCully to New York for UN meetings(external link)	Security Council
11 May	Statement: UN Security Council Open Debate: Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts(external link)	Counter-terrorism
11 May	Statement: NZ Statement to UN General Assembly: UN, Peace and Security(external link)	Peace and Security
2 September	Release: PM – NZ starts second term as UNSC President(external link)	Presidency
6 September	Release: NZ condemns North Korea missile launch(external link)	DPRK
11 September	Release: Ceasefire deal first step to peace in Syria(external link)	Syria
12 September	Release: McCully to New York for Security Council Presidency(external link)	Presidency
14 September	Statement: UN Security Council Statement after the Vote: Colombia adoption(external link)	Colombia
15 September	Statement: UN Security Council Quarterly Debate on Afghanistan(external link)	Afghanistan
16 September	Statement: UN Security Council: The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question(external link)	Middle East
21 September	Release: PM addresses United Nations General Assembly(external link)	Security Council
22 September	Release: PM urges UNSC to address Syria Crisis(external link)	Syria
22 September	Statement: PM Statement to the United Nations Security Council on Syria(external link)	Syria
23 September	Statement: UN Security Council Ministerial Level Meeting on Aviation Security and Terrorism(external link)	Counter-terrorism / Aviation security
26 October	Release: NZ training support for White Helmets in Syria(external link)	Syria
5 November	Release: US Secretary of State to visit NZ(external link)	United States
10 November	Release: McCully to Middle East(external link)	Middle East
16 November	Release: King Abdullah to visit New Zealand(external link)	Middle East
29 November	Speech: NZIIA Annual Conference (external link)	Security Council
30 November	Release: NZ co-sponsors Syria resolution(external link)	Syria
1 December	Release: NZ endorses new UN sanctions on North Korea(external link)	DPRK
6 December	Release: UNSC Syria resolution vetoed(external link)	Syria
12 December	Release: McCully to New York for UNSC meetings(external link)	Security Council
23 December	Release: More NZ support for Syria relief efforts(external link)	Syria
24 December	Release: NZ welcomes UN resolution on Middle East Peace Process(external link)	Middle East