The Cook Islands and New Zealand have agreed to work together on renewing the Waka Hourua/Vaka Purua Statement of Partnership, which will continue to guide the partnership between the two countries.
The agreement came during the Joint Ministerial Forum Work Group (JMFWG), hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration in Rarotonga on 5 October 2026. Discussions between senior officials were framed around the shared pillars of Well-being, Prosperity and Security.
“Our relationship with New Zealand is grounded in close constitutional, cultural and family ties,” said Secretary Wright-Koteka, who led the Cook Islands delegation. “This meeting was an opportunity not just to take stock, but to agree on how we carry the partnership forward together, as Realm partners and as members of the Pacific family.”
Officials recognised education as an important priority for the Cook Islands, including tertiary and vocational training pathways for Cook Islands students and support for schools in the Pa Enua.
Looking ahead to the next phase of development cooperation from mid-2027, both sides agreed on the importance of the Infrastructure Trust Fund in supporting the Cook Islands’ infrastructure needs. Officials also discussed economic resilience, including fuel security and climate finance.
Both sides welcomed the close working relationship on defence and security and agreed to further progress practical consultation arrangements under the 2026 Declaration on Defence and Security. They also agreed on the importance of maintaining open and frank conversations where their foreign policy interests intersect.
Regional cooperation was also discussed ahead of New Zealand chairing the Pacific Islands Forum in 2027, along with preparations for the next Joint Ministerial Forum, which the Cook Islands has proposed hosting in early 2027.
The Cook Islands delegation included the Chief of Staff from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Financial Secretary from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Education.
The New Zealand delegation was led by Bernadette Cavanagh, Deputy Secretary, Pacific and Development Group at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and included H.E. Catherine Graham, New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands.
The meeting provided an opportunity to progress practical priorities across the relationship and prepare for the next Joint Ministerial Forum in 2027.
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