News of embassy opening delights New Zealanders

Dubai: Expatriate New Zealanders in the UAE are delighted at the news that an embassy is due to open in Abu Dhabi.

Murray McCully, New Zealand Foreign Minister, made the announcement on Monday via a press statement. The embassy will be the first in the UAE and the second in the Gulf region (the first is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).

"The UAE and New Zealand share a diverse and growing bilateral relationship, and our commercial presence in the UAE is also developing strongly," McCully announced in the statement.

The Abu Dhabi embassy is scheduled to open in January.

Earlier this month, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, received McCully. The Foreign Ministers discussed matters of mutual interest.

Annette Theyers, 60, a New Zealand expatriate, told Gulf News she was delighted with the news, as a "Kiwi living in the UAE". Theyers has lived with her husband in Dubai for the past three years, and cares full-time for their two grandchildren.

"For me it means I have the security of a representative who is versed in the governance of my home country and my chosen country of residence. All expats face issues at times and for Kiwis living so far from home — twice as far as anyone else I know, it is a nightmare trying to deal with paperwork couriers and protocol," she said.

‘Step forward'

Theyers continued that issues or tasks such as expiring or expired passports, authentication of documents and passport applications for new babies are "generally a nightmare to deal with only because the higher level of authorisation of ambassador is so important in these days of higher security".

Theyers' daughter and son-in-law have lived in Dubai for the past seven years — both of their children were born in the emirate.

"There are many, many Kiwis living in the UAE, and I'm sure all will welcome the additional security of an ambassador," Theyers said.

According to the Minister, the UAE embassy will "provide a step forward" for New Zealand's diplomatic presence in the Middle East, facilitating trade in the region. He continued that the GCC is already the country's sixth-largest trading partner.

"New Zealand's exports to the region grew by 122 per cent between 2000 and 2009, with the UAE established as our second-largest market among the Gulf states," he said.