The New Zealand foreign minister has appointed a new high commissioner to Kiribati.
Mike Walsh, who's currently a director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Pacific Division, will take up the post made vacant by the appointment of Robert Kaiwai as consul general in Hong Kong.
The Kiribati post was widely advertised with the foreign minister, Murray McCully, wanting to bring in more people from outside the diplomatic service.
He says Mr Walsh, who's served as a diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Samoa and South Africa, was considered the best applicant.
The Kiribati post also serves the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia.
