Winston Peters and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele exchange gifts during a NZ delegation to Honiara. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Supplied
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters is heading back to the Pacific - leading a delegation to four countries.
Peters' office said the delegation will visit Fiji, before embarking on a three-country tour across Micronesia; Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.
The Deputy Prime Minister has so far visited Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Niue, Tokelau, Samoa, Tonga, Nauru and Tuvalu, since getting into office.
In December 2023, he said that the government wants to resume and renew the Pacific reset strategy "with greater intensity".
Peters said the Pacific is a major focus of New Zealand's foreign policy.
He said they have the goal of visiting all 17 fellow members of the Pacific Islands Forum later this month in Tonga, and this visit will mean they have made it to 14.
He said the visit to Micronesia demonstrates that New Zealand is committed to strengthening its relationships with Micronesian region.
The delegation's visit to Fiji will coincide with the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
"As one of its founding members, New Zealand is firmly committed to the Forum as our region's pre-eminent political entity and principal platform for advancing the Pacific's priorities and for tackling regional problems," Peters said.
The delegation departs New Zealand on Thursday and returns on Friday 16 August.