The Cook Islands took part in the Pacific Islands Forum Officials Committee Budget Session in Suva from 3-4 December 2025, led in person by Chargé d’Affaires Ms Antonina Browne and supported online by the Pacific Regional Division. The annual meeting brings together Forum Members to review and consider the Secretariat’s performance, and Workplan and Budget for the year ahead.
This year’s session was chaired by Niue, who stepped in due to competing demands faced by the current FOC Chair, Palau. As fellow Smaller Island States (SIS), the Cook Islands acknowledged Niue’s steady leadership and highlighted the need for tailored support to assist all Members, especially SIS countries, to meet their governance responsibilities while managing significant domestic constraints.
Members welcomed the Secretary General’s report, which provided an open reflection on the Secretariat’s workload and the scale of the 2026 agenda flowing from Leaders decisions in Honiara. Key areas of work in the year ahead include next phase of the Review of the Regional Architecture, implementation of the Leaders new Partnership policy, further development of the 2050 Implementation Plan, regional security integration, and an active international engagement calendar.
A central focus of discussions was the pending completion of the Secretariat’s Organisation Review, which is due in June 2026. The Cook Islands reinforced the importance of meeting this deadline, given the Review’s close links to other institutional priorities such as the Sustainable Funding Strategy and the future financing arrangements linked to the Suva Agreement. During the session, the Cook Islands emphasised that “the Review must fully reflect core system priorities, including the needs of Smaller Island States, which must be mainstreamed across all four divisions as per the Organisation’s 2023 Strategic Plan, and not treated as the responsibility of any single work area.”
With Suva Agreement funding scheduled to conclude in mid-2026, Members agreed that clear modelling and a realistic pathway for its absorption into the Secretariat’s core budget must be prioritised early next year.
Forum Officials also undertook detailed consideration of the Secretariat’s Workplan and Budget. The Cook Islands joined others in highlighting the need for stronger performance reporting, clearer prioritisation, and greater alignment between planned activities and available resources. Members reiterated that the Annual Corporate Plan, which guides the Secretariat’s work, must be supported by more frequent monitoring and evaluation, ensuring visibility on delivery, pressure points, and where adjustments may be needed throughout the year.
The Cook Islands also supported calls for fair and sustainable financing for all Members. With more than two-thirds of the Secretariat’s work programme now funded through extra-budgetary resources, Members noted the need to strengthen the core funding platform through balanced and predictable Member contributions over time. The Cook Islands highlighted that long-term sustainability depends on reducing over-dependence on development partners in the core operating budget, ensuring that all areas of Secretariat work, including SIS priorities, receive stable and appropriate support.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Browne said, “The region has built a strong agenda, but delivery now depends on tighter discipline from all of us. That means clearer priorities, realistic sequencing, sharper performance expectations, and a funding model that protects the core work of the Forum.”
The Budget Session also acknowledged the contribution of Mr Zarak Khan, Director of Programmes and Initiatives, who concludes seven years of service leading a significant regional portfolio, including climate finance, Trade development, and the Pacific Resilience Facility. Members noted the positive impact of his leadership and the importance of maintaining momentum across these high-priority areas.
The Cook Islands delegation expressed appreciation to Niue for chairing the meeting, and to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat for facilitating another important Budget Session. The outcomes adopted this week will help set the direction for the region’s collective work in 2026 as Forum Members continue implementing their vision under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
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