New Zealand is to open an Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully, who is visiting Abu Dhabi, says the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand share a diverse and growing relationship.
He says the new embassy will provide a step forward for New Zealand's diplomatic presence in the Middle East, and help facilitate business opportunities in the Gulf region.
The embassy is due to open in January and will be New Zealand's second in the Gulf region, after Riyadh.
