The Foreign Minister has hit back at comments by a Kiribati government minister that the island nation's leader failed to receive him because of pre-planned commitments.

A New Zealand-born Kiribati MP has come to her president's defence in the diplomatic row between Wellington and Tarawa, stating the "media manufactured drama", in which Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced a review of NZ aid to the Micronesian nation, is "disrespectful to Kiribati's sovereignty".

New Zealand's government is reviewing its aid to Kiribati after the Pacific island nation's leader snubbed a planned meeting with New Zealand's foreign minister.

Kiribati has defended its last-minute decision to call off a meeting between President Taneti Maamau, Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, a snub that prompted New Zealand to put its aid for Kiribati under review.

New Zealand is reviewing its aid to Kiribati after the tiny Pacific nation’s president canceled a meeting with Foreign Minister Winston Peters at short notice.

Victoria University's Jon Fraenkel says "there are difficulties in the relationship between Wellington and Kiribati" but "Kiribati does have alternatives" both in Beijing and elsewhere.

While New Zealand has been a long-standing development partner, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has not managed a meeting with Kiribati President Taneti Maamau since returning to office in 2023.

The New Zealand government is reconsidering its aid program with Kiribati after the president canceled a planned meeting with the New Zealand foreign minister. This development may strain relations and impact both bilateral ties and visa allocations for Kiribati citizens seeking seasonal work in New Zealand.

The unusual move to review all finance to Kiribati was prompted by the abrupt cancelation of a planned meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday last week between Kiribati President Taneti Maamau and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Winston Peters, Peters’ office said late on Monday.

Self-governing Taiwan is claimed by China and since the shift, Beijing has increased aid to Kiribati. An official snub provokes backlash Peters was scheduled to meet Maamau, who has led the ...

Kiribati is one of the world's most aid-dependent countries, but relations with Western nations have grown tense since it aligned with China in 2019

Tensions between Western nations and Kiribati continue to strain after President Taneti Maamau refused to meet with senior ministers.