Office of the Administrator

Mr Andre van der Walt has been appointed as the new Administrator of Tokelau. In July 2026, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced his appointment, noting that 2026 is a significant year in the relationship between New Zealand and Tokelau, marking the centenary of New Zealand’s administration of Tokelau.

Following the announcement, Mr Andre van der Walt travelled to Tokelau in July to participate in the 100 years celebration and the mid-year General Fono.

In his role, the Administrator will work closely with the Government of Tokelau to support the delivery of essential services to Tokelau’s people and to strengthen the partnership between Tokelau and New Zealand. Mr Andre van der Walt will also oversee New Zealand’s support for Tokelau’s development priorities, including resilience to climate change, improved governance and service delivery, and support for key sectors such as education, health, transport, and renewable energy.

Mr Andre van der Walt brings extensive diplomatic experience, having previously served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Kiribati and as Deputy High Commissioner to Niue. Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory within the Realm of New Zealand, and its people are New Zealand citizens