UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to announce today that former prime minister Helen Clark has been chosen for one of the world's top jobs.
It was unofficially known in Parliament yesterday that Miss Clark would be the next head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), an aid agency with a multi-billion dollar budget operating in 166 countries.
Miss Clark, backed by the Government, lobbied hard for the position which is the third highest in the UN behind the secretary-general and his deputy.
Prime Minister John Key told reporters he could not officially confirm the appointment but said it would be a tremendous honour for a New Zealand to hold the position.
Labour leader Phil Goff said he did not want to pre-empt an announcement which he understood was close.
"All of us New Zealanders will be hoping that Helen is successful," he said.
"She has the skills, the confidence, the capability to do the job and that would be great for New Zealand and that would be great for the UNDP."
Mike Moore, the last New Zealander to hold a high-profile international position when he was head of the World Trade Organisation, said the UNDP had problems in many countries because of the "appalling politicians" running them.
"There are bad guys who take money ... I've dealt with a lot of these villains and I think Helen will deal to some of them," he said on One News.
For Miss Clark it will be the culmination of a political career that began in 1981 when she was elected MP for Mt Albert, the seat she still holds.
She was always interested in foreign affairs and one of her first tasks in Parliament was running the committee which drafted the anti-nuclear legislation.
After becoming prime minister in 1999 she made many official overseas trips, meeting world leaders and gaining a reputation for her grasp of international affairs.
The UNDP was established in 1965 and among its aims are reducing poverty, halting the spread of HIV/Aids, improving environmental protection and raising the standards of governance internationally.
Miss Clark is expected to take up the position in August, when the current UNDP administrator, Kemal Dervis, retires after a four-year term.
Her resignation from Parliament will trigger a by-election in Mt Albert.
Labour list MP Phil Twyford has been identified as front-runner for the safe seat but it was reported last night that a candidate from outside Parliament might stand.
TV One and TV3 reported a strategy was being developed to prevent former MP Judith Tizard returning to Parliament.
The reports said Ms Tizard was considered to be "old guard" and past her use-by date.
Labour's problem is that former finance minister Michael Cullen is also planning to retire, probably before Miss Clark resigns.
Dr Cullen is a list MP and would be replaced by Damien O'Connor, the next candidate on Labour's list.
If Mr Twyford contested a by-election and won the Mt Albert seat he would cease to be a list MP and would be replaced by Ms Tizard.
But if an outsider wins the seat Mr Twyford stays as a list MP and there would not be a slot for Ms Tizard to take.
Mr Twyford refused to comment when NZPA asked him whether he was going to put his name forward.
NZPA