The Cook Islands and Saudi Arabia have formalised diplomatic relations this morning through the signing of the Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Cook Islands in Wellington.
The signing of the Protocol by Acting Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand Piakura Passfield, and Tariq Alfayez, Charge Chargé d'Affaires for the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia to New Zealand, is the culmination of exchanges between representatives of the two governments since 2020.
The most recent bilateral discussions between the two governments were held in February in Nadi in the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders Retreat.
Cook Islands Prime Minister, the Honourable Mark Brown, and Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) Tepaeru Herrmann, met with Saudi Arabia Deputy Minister of Strategy and Business Intelligence Ms Saja Alhoshan and Mr Eng. Faisal Al Qatani, Executive Director of the Saudi Fund for Development.
"We welcome the interest of Saudi Arabia in exploring further co-operation with the Cook Islands in areas such as renewable energy, agriculture, technology, and sustainable development," said Secretary Herrmann. "We appreciate the efficiency with which Saudi Arabia have moved to formalise diplomatic relations and their preparedness to support the Cook Islands' immediate priorities.
"The COVID-19 impact on the Cook Islands puts at risk ten years of economic growth and development," added Secretary Herrmann. "While we continue to work proactively to expand our air links and uplift and work closely with likeminded partners through the leadership of Samoa as current Chair of the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), partners like Saudi Arabia offer potential for timely and much needed new investment and co-operation."
MFAI officials will continue to work with Saudi Arabia officials towards possible future bilateral co-operation programs and expect to step up collaboration in the multilateral fora in the months ahead.