Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 06 May 2026 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) today welcomed a delegation from New Zealand’s Ministry of Defence and New Zealand Defence Force to the Cook Islands for consultations on New Zealand’s Defence Capability Plan review.
This visit marks the first official defence and security engagement between the Cook Islands and New Zealand following the signing of the Declaration on Defence and Security between the two governments last month.
During the visit, the New Zealand delegation will engage with several Cook Islands Government agencies, including the Cook Islands Police Service, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Marine Resources.
The consultations provide an important opportunity to exchange views on the plan and explore areas for security cooperation. Given New Zealand’s constitutional responsibility for the defence of the Cook Islands, ongoing dialogue on defence matters remains essential to ensuring shared priorities and regional security interests are appropriately reflected.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Elizabeth Wright-Koteka, noted that the visit reflects the long-standing partnership between our two nations and demonstrates the commitment to ‘step up’ and increase engagement.
“This engagement demonstrates the value both countries place on practical cooperation and open dialogue. The recent signing of the Defence and Security Agreement provides an important framework to further strengthen cooperation between our agencies. Importantly, this visit is intended to be the first of a number of future engagements that will support strengthened coordination, information sharing, and practical cooperation between the Cook Islands and New Zealand.”
For further information, please contact: [email protected]