Left- Right: MFAI Director International Affairs and Trade, Jim Armistead and Foreign Service Officer,Ms Teremoana Fukofuka
Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 22 May 2025 – The Cook Islands participated in the Eighth Meeting of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus Joint Committee, held on 5–6 May 2025 in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Collin Beck, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Solomon Islands. It provided an opportunity to review the past four years of the Agreement’s implementation and to plan for the next phase.
Led by Jim Armistead, Director of the International & Trade Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), the Cook Islands delegation contributed to key discussions focused on deepening economic integration across the Pacific through trade facilitation. PACER Plus is a landmark trade and development agreement aimed at increasing exports and improving living standards across the region.
The meeting agenda included reports from subsidiary bodies on trade in goods, rules of origin, customs procedures, technical barriers to trade, trade in services, investment, and labour mobility. Delegates also discussed the potential renewal of the Development Economic Cooperation (DEC) Work Programme and the future direction of PACER Plus beyond 2025.
“PACER Plus opportunities in the DEC Work Programme have been extremely beneficial to the Cook Islands in recent years. Under the leadership of our National Coordinator, Dr. Jim Gosselin, our activities under PACER Plus have significantly increased,” said MFAI Director Jim Armistead. Negotiations focused on ensuring the Cook Islands’ interests and priorities are reflected in the renewed DEC.
Drawing from national trade priorities raised by stakeholders, the Cook Islands emphasized the importance of stronger border security to combat illicit trade and increased technical support for future projects. The delegation joined other Parties in highlighting the need to integrate private sector support into PACER Plus’s strategic priorities, recognizing its growing role in boosting export rates.
The outcomes of the meeting will guide the renewal of the DEC Work Programme, with further discussions planned for the Joint Committee’s next meeting in October 2025, marking a key step in PACER Plus’s ongoing development.
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