Cook Islands in talks with China on deep-sea mining

Cook Islands officials said Friday they had discussed seabed minerals research with China as the small Pacific island mulls deep-sea mining of its waters. The self-governing country of 17,000 people — a former colony of close partner New Zealand —...

Cook Islands political crisis must come to a head

No! No! No! Cook Islands-China deal details to be revealed ‘in the coming days’ – Mark Brown Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says he is aware of the strong interest in the outcomes of his visit to China. The New Zealand government said that...

Environment Service leads regional training

Cook Islands hosts the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Asia-Pacific regional training workshop. NES / 25051601 Cook Islands National Environment Service (NES) hosted the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Asia-Pacific regional training workshop...

Cook Islands signs deal with China amid concerns from New Zealand

The Cook Islands said on Saturday that it signed a comprehensive strategic partnership deal with China, a move expected to raise concerns in New Zealand with which it has constitutional ties. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and Chinese...

Cook Islands signs China deal at centre of diplomatic row with NZ

The Cook Islands has signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with China without disclosing the contents with New Zealand prior to ratification. Cook Islands Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana confirmed to RNZ on Saturday morning the...

Cook Islands signs China deal at centre of diplomatic row with New Zealand

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown in Harbin. Photo: AFP/LIU BIN The Cook Islands has signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" agreement with China without disclosing the contents with New Zealand...

Part II: The migratory mysteries of Cook Islands’ Green turtles

Turtle tourism has become a popular year-round activity in Rarotonga, with both government and civil society groups working to ensure it is safer for turtles and people. In a three-part series, Gerald McCormack of the Cook Islands Natural Heritage...

Cook Islands says comprehensive strategic partnership deal signed with China

The Cook Islands has signed a comprehensive strategic partnership deal with China, a move expected to raise concerns in New Zealand with which it has constitutional ties. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed...

Pacific countries have narrow window to adapt to climate change

Pacific representatives have called for urgent reform to climate finance and regional cooperation at a high-level panel on climate security on day one of the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference being held in Suva, Fiji from...

Cook Islands-China deal details to be revealed ‘in the coming days’ – Mark Brown

RAROTONGA (RNZ PACIFIC) — Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says he is aware of the strong interest in the outcomes of his visit to China. The New Zealand government said that the Cook Islands failed to properly consult it on proposed...

Cook Islands’ century-long plan praised by UN as world-leading

United Nations Resident Coordinator Themba Kalua. 25021309 Cook Islands and its government have been commended for being one of the few nations in the world to craft a century-long strategic vision by the visiting United Nations Resident...

Cook Islands seeks China's expertise in seabed mining

Prime Minister Mark Brown and the Cook Islands delegation met with several institutes, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University, First Institute of Oceanography and The National Deep Sea Centre, to discuss about seabed mining. Photo: Cook Islands...

Cook Islands advocates for development funding reform

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration’s Amelia Fukofuka-Murare, right, with a fellow Cook Islands official in South Korea. MFAI/25021214. Cook Islands officials advocated for fairer development financing mechanisms, emphasising the need for...

Cook Islands advocate for climate action funding for innovative Pacific-tailored solutions at UNGA

Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown will continue to advocate for climate action funding for innovative Pacific-tailored solutions for the Pacific at this week’s 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high-level week held at the United...

Cook Islands, China to sign comprehensive strategic partnership on Friday

Prime Minister Mark Brown and his delegation visit the National Deep Sea Centre in China. OPM/25021209 The comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between the Cook Islands and China will be signed this Friday (Thursday, Cook Islands time)....

Cook Islands, UN collaborate on sustainable development priorities

Minister for Foreign Affairs Tingika Elikana, middle, with UN Resident Coordinator, Themba Kalua, and members of the UN agencies and local participants. TALAIA MIKA/25021107 Cook Islands hosted one-day workshop aimed at enhancing the collaboration...

Cook Islands prime minister discusses marine, climate and economics in China visit

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Cook Islands’ Prime Minister Mark Brown said on Thursday he had held discussions with institutions on marine science, climate resilience and economic cooperation so far during a trip to China that has raised...

New Zealand's concerns over Cook Islands' shadow fleet revealed in OIA request

a photo taken on December 28, 2024 off Porkkalanniemi, Kirkkonummi, in the Gulf of Finland, shows oil tanker Eagle S (R), which flies under the flag of the Cook Islands, next to Finnish border guard ship Uisko (back C) and tugboat Ukko (front L)....

Pacific islands push back against growing climate threats

The Cook Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia are separated by around 6,000 kilometres of Pacific Ocean. Despite the vast stretch of water between them, the two small island nations share a common challenge: how to protect their people...

Cook Islands reaffirms climate leadership amidst U.S withdrawal from Paris Agreement

Cook Islands has called for continued global cooperation to address climate crisis and for the global community to fill any funding gaps left by the United States after its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. This comes after the United States...