Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 19 December 2025 -The Cook Islands this week welcomed Rear Admiral Guillaume Pinget, Commander of the French Armed Forces in French Polynesia, on his first official visit to Rarotonga since his appointment in 2024.
As part of his visit, Rear Admiral Pinget met with the Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), Mr Josh Mitchell, together with the Chief of Staff of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Commissioner of Police.
They discussed shared regional security concerns, including the impacts of climate change and how we respond to disasters. The meetings also covered illegal maritime activities, such as illegal fishing, transnational crime, and narcotics trafficking.
The meetings also explored opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between the Cook Islands and France in areas such as information sharing, operational coordination, capability and capacity development, and expanded joint operations and exercises with the Cook Islands Police Service Maritime Unit.
The Acting Secretary of MFAI welcomed the visit, highlighting the importance of close cooperation with regional partners in addressing evolving maritime and security challenges.
“Maritime space is a priority for the Cook Islands in ensuring our Exclusive Economic Zone is secure and in contributing to the security of our wider region — particularly in the current context of both global and regional instability. Engagements with close neighbours such as French Polynesia provide valuable opportunities to strengthen cooperation through information sharing, coordination, and joint operational activities that enhance our collective ability to respond to shared security challenges,” said Acting Secretary Mitchell.
The visit underscores the strong and enduring relationship between the Cook Islands and France and reflects a shared commitment to regional security, resilience, and Pacific‑led cooperation.
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