US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has phoned Nanaia Mahuta to congratulate her on becoming Foreign Minister and to discuss the impacts of COVID-19.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said Mahuta received three phone calls on Wednesday from New Zealand's closest allies - Australia, Canada and the United States - to acknowledge her new senior position.
MFAT said Mahuta discussed with Pompeo the importance of the US-NZ strategic partnership. They also touched on security and defence, building the two nations' economic partnership, the Pacific Islands and the impacts of COVID-19.
MFAT did not say if the pair discussed a free trade agreement, which former Foreign Minister Winston Peters pitched to US Vice President Mike Pence during his visit in 2019.
Pompeo's talk with Mahuta came a week after he sent a message of congratulations on behalf of the US to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party after their election win.
Pompeo described New Zealand in the statement as "one of our closest friends".
"We congratulate new Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and look forward to working with her and the rest of New Zealand's government to further deepen our enduring partnership, that is based on our shared history and democratic values."
Pompeo said in the statement the US "commends the people of New Zealand for demonstrating the power of participatory democracy".
However he still seems to think Donald Trump will get a second term as US President. He said earlier this week there will be a "smooth transition" to a second Trump administration, despite the President losing to Democrat Joe Biden.
The Secretary of State, which is a position analogous to a Foreign Minister, was questioned during a press conference this week if the State Department was preparing to engage with Biden's transition team.
"There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration... we're ready," Pompeo told reporters.
"The world is watching what's taking place. We're going to count all the votes, when the process is complete, they'll be elector-selected - there's a process. The constitution lays it out pretty clearly."
The Republican diplomat's response echoes Trump's insistence the election was a "fraud" and rigged against him despite no evidence. The outgoing President is yet to acknowledge the triumph of Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
There is no record of Mahuta and Pompeo discussing the US election.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has not gone so far as condemning Trump for labelling the presidential election a "fraud", but she called for every vote to be counted after Trump filed lawsuits asking for vote counting to stop in states where he was losing.
"Our strong view is that other democracies should be left to run their course, but that means letting every vote be counted and letting people have their say and for a democracy to be heard."
National leader Judith Collins, who lost the race to become Prime Minister of New Zealand, has suggested that Trump be gracious in defeat and show the world how democracy works.
"America's a great democracy and I think there's a real opportunity for President Trump to play his part in everyone understanding what a great democracy America is."
Mahuta also spoke with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. They discussed the ways in which New Zealand and Australia would continue to cooperate to respond to the pandemic, including work towards a trans-Tasman travel bubble.
Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne spoke to Mahuta about cooperation on a range of global issues, and they also intend to engage on indigenous issues.
Mahuta made New Zealand political history earlier this month by becoming first female Māori Foreign Minister.
