Samaori Coffee Director Jess Rawiri and British Consul General in Auckland Reshaad Durgahee enjoy a cuppa at the MFAT Pacific Connections pavilion, at Pasifika Festival 2025.
By Michelle Curran
Strategic Communications, Pasifika TV
In efforts to nurture partnerships with its Pacific members, representatives from the British Consulate General Auckland were invited to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) Pacific Connections team at its pavilion, at Pasifika Festival in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The occastion also marked Commonwealth Day, celebrated on March 10, focused on the theme, Together we thrive, aptly summing up the sentiments the British Consulate in Aotearoa New Zealand holds for the Pacific region.
Eleven Pacific countries are part of the Commonwealth, and British Consul General Reshaad Durgahee says the annual Pasifika Festival is a prime opportunity to foster the United Kingdom’s connections with the region.
“We are really excited to be here and to learn, listen and hear people’s stories and their priorities for their communities,” Reshaad says.
“We’re also here to show some of the possibilities, to connect even further…and show a bit about the work that we do.”
Some of that work includes combating the impacts of climate change, an area in which the British Consulate works closely with its Pacific partners.
At the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, the Commonwealth committed to recognising maritime boundaries due to rising sea levels, in the Apia Commonwealth Oceans Declaration.
Reshaad says there are many other opportunities to further engagement between the Pacific and the United Kingdom, spanning many sectors.
“The UK is part of the Commonwealth Scholarship, but we also have our Chevening Scholarship, which provides for fully funded Masters Scholarship to study at a UK university…this is a life changing opportunity for emerging global leaders, so a really great opportunity for people to connect in.”
Reshaad says the New Zealand-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement has opened lots of opportunities for Aotearoa-based businesses to do more with the United Kingdom and vice versa.
“As well as those spaces of education and trade, we are really active in arts and culture, and we are proud to have the British Council’s Connection Through Culture Grant, which is forging new partnerships between Pacific Artists and UK artists…there’s lots going on in different areas.”
Ultimately, the British Consulate’s message is one of partnership going forward, Reshaad says.
“It’s one of friendship and it’s one of building a shared future together and there are deep cultural, historical and people to people ties between the UK and the Pacific, and we recognise the immense contributions that Pacific communities make both here in Aotearoa New Zealand and in the wider region.
“We also recognise the challenges that are being faced, such as in climate change, and we want to work together as partners to strengthen those commitments going for.”
At Pasifika Festival, the Consul General took the opportunity to speak with many people interested in what the Consulate is doing in the region, and he hopes to build on this engagement.
He also enjoyed beverages from the Samaori Coffee cart, sponsored by the British Consulate, onsite at the MFAT Pacific Connections Pavilion, he adds.
“It has been fantastic to have Samaori Coffee with us at the stand.
“We’ve been around the festival…there is so much great heritage, identity and culture on display, which is so important and we’re really proud to have been part of that…we can’t wait to be back here again next year.”
Visit the British Consulate General Auckland website for more information, and follow MFAT Pacific Connections on Facebook.
