New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully will travel to Ethiopia next week to attend the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa, a statement said Friday.

"A quarter of the world's states are members of the African Union, and Africa is of increasing interest and importance to New Zealand," McCully said in a statement Friday.

"This visit provides an opportunity for New Zealand to engage on a range of important regional issues."

McCully would also visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah and sign a partnership arrangement with the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency.

"New Zealand and the UAE have an increasingly close relationship. I am pleased to be signing an agreement that will see New Zealand share some of its world-leading environmental and conservation management expertise," McCully said.