Obama to visit NZ soon
Former US president Barack Obama could soon visit New Zealand, possibly within weeks, at the invitation of Air New Zealand.
Although Obama has previously been rumoured to be coming to New Zealand on a number of occasions, planning is said to be advanced. NZME reported yesterday that an agreement could be confirmed within days.
Obama’s visit is said to be set to be centred around Auckland, possibly with a golfing visit to Northland. The visit could come as soon as next month.
As well as giving a speech, Obama is tipped to be involved in an event related to youth leadership, an area of charity he has said he will focus on since leaving office.
The trip raises tricky issues of diplomacy. While Obama is now a regular citizen – even called to appear for jury duty in Chicago in November – his appearance in New Zealand is likely to attract more attention than some official state visits.
He was repeatedly invited to travel to New Zealand while he was president, but there has been no public statement that his successor, Donald Trump, has been extended the same invitation.
Former prime minister John Key, who scored a publicity coup when he and his son played golf with Obama in Hawaii in 2014, recently joined the Air New Zealand board as a director.
It would be expected that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern would meet the former president, although the visit would have to be informal.
Shortly before Obama left office, former ambassador Mark Gilbert, a former major league baseballer and Democratic Party fundraiser, indicated the visit will happen eventually.
‘‘It was just a question of when that would be a possibility. Whether he comes before he leaves office or after he leaves office, I do believe that he will come to New Zealand.’’
In April 2017 there was further speculation that Obama was poised to visit. It turned out to be a meeting of senior figures from the Five Eyes intelligence network.