New Zealand and France

New Zealand and France enjoy a warm and varied bilateral relationship. From the strong personal links forged in World Wars I and II when New Zealand and French soldiers fought and died for a common cause, to close contact with New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the South Pacific, our two countries have a long history of cooperation. Today, this encompasses a range of activities including maritime surveillance in the Pacific; cooperation on the Antarctic, the United Nations and other multilateral issues; international peacekeeping duties and defence exercises; and joint ventures in the scientific, cultural and commercial sectors. France is an important contact for New Zealand both as a key player in the European Union and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

France's wines, cuisine, culture and language tempt many New Zealanders to visit metropolitan France, New Caledonia and French Polynesia every year. This sort of contact, as well as more formalised two-way people-to-people contact, is the key to a continuing good relationship. The France/New Zealand Working Holiday Scheme, inaugurated in 1999, and the ongoing work of the France-New Zealand Friendship Fund, ensure that such contacts continue to flourish. The number of French visitors to New Zealand continues to rise every year.