Treaties for which NZ is DepositaryTrade law and free trade agreementsTreaty making processLaw of the Sea and FisheriesInternational Humanitarian LawInternational Courts and TribunalsPrivate International LawDiplomatic Privileges and ImmunitiesUnited Nations Security Council SanctionsInternational Law Events
New Zealand acts as the depositary, or administrator, for a number of international treaties more
The Trade Law Unit within the Legal Division of the Ministry provides legal advice and representation in various international trade fora more
The Legal Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade oversees the process by which the New Zealand Government enters into, and withdraws from or denounces, treaties more
As an island nation surrounded by the world’s largest ocean and with a heavy reliance on shipping for our international trade, New Zealand has a strong interest in the effective regulation and peaceful management of the uses of the ocean more
International humanitarian law is also sometimes described as the “law of armed conflict” or the “laws of war”. It is a framework of rules that restricts the means and methods of warfare and protects people who are not participating in the fighting, in order to limit the effects of armed conflict for humanitarian reasons more
As a small international player New Zealand places great importance on the international rule of law, supported by mechanisms to hold States to their international legal obligations and peacefully settle international disputes more
“Private international law” is a term used to refer to the rules that apply in cases concerning individuals or entities, which have a foreign element – such as, for example, where a New Zealand company enters into a contract in the United States with a company registered there and a dispute arises about the contract more
Foreign diplomats in New Zealand and New Zealand diplomatic representatives working in New Zealand’s posts overseas are both protected by the rules of diplomatic immunity more
The Ministry participates in a wide range of legal meetings and conferences and assists with annual meetings of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL) and the Pacific Islands Law Officers Network (PILON) more
