The high commissioner of New Zealand to Barbados is New Zealand's foremost diplomatic representative in Barbados, and in charge of New Zealand's diplomatic mission in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The high commission is located in a building shared with the British High Commissioner to Barbados at Lower Collymore Rock Rd. in Bridgetown, Barbados' capital city. New Zealand has maintained a resident high commissioner in Bridgetown since March 2014. [1] It is further accredited to: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
As fellow members of the Commonwealth of Nations, diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Barbados are at governmental level, rather than between heads of state. Thus, the countries exchange high commissioners, rather than ambassadors.
From 1966 to 2014 located in Ottawa, Canada
According to the New Zealand government due to logistics and transportation issues surrounding COVID pandemic, the high commission's office closed in 2020. [8] In 2022 New Zealand Special Envoy to the Caribbean, Jan Henderson as government of New Zealand's representative indicated her country was desirous of maintaining its ties and cooperation with the Caribbean through technology. [9]
New Zealand remains committed to Barbados and the Caribbean despite closing its office in Barbados. This assurance came from New Zealand Special Envoy to the Caribbean, Jan Henderson, when she paid a courtesy call on Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, with responsibility for the Blue Economy, Adrian Forde; Permanent Secretary for the Blue Economy, Sonia Foster, and other Ministry officials today. She explained that the office was closed over the last two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Government was now looking to make use of technology and work from bigger missions or directly from New Zealand with the Caribbean. Ms. Henderson further noted that the ambassador was now based in New Zealand, but would continue to work with governments in the Caribbean to find the best location from which to operate.