Foreign relations of the Cook Islands

Politics of the Cook Islands

* Monarch

King Charles III
* King's Representative

Sir Tom Marsters
* Prime Minister

Mark Brown
* Cabinet
* Parliament

Speaker: Tai Tura
* House of Ariki

President: Tou Travel Ariki
* Political parties
* Recent elections

* General: 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

* Foreign relations

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with various countries and is a member of multilateral organisations. While the country is in free association with New Zealand, which can act on the Cook Islands' "delegated authority [...] to assist the Cooks Islands" in foreign affairs,[1] the Cook Islands nevertheless enters into treaty obligations and otherwise "interacts with the international community as a sovereign and independent state."[1]

## History

[edit]

In the 1980s the Cook Islands became a member of several United Nations specialized agencies: the World Health Organization in 1984, the Food and Agriculture Organization and UNESCO in 1985, and the International Civil Aviation Organization in 1986. The Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs records that in 1988 New Zealand declared "that its future participation in international agreements would no longer extend to the Cook Islands..."[2] In 1991 the Cook Islands became a full member of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Preparatory Committee and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Framework Convention on Climate Change (INC), which the Repertory of Practice describes as "further evidence that the international community had accepted the Cook Islands as a “State” under international law."[2] The United Nations Secretariat therefore "recognized the full treaty-making capacity of the Cook Islands" in 1992[2] and the Secretary-General, in his capacity as the depository of multilateral treaties, decided that the Cook Islands could participate in treaties that were open to "all states".[3]

## Diplomatic relations

[edit]

List of countries with which the Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations:

#  | Country  | Date
1  |  Norway | 18 July 1991[4]
2  |  Malaysia | 2 May 1992[5]
3  |  New Zealand | 1993[6]
4  |  Australia | 1994[6]
5  |  Nauru | 1994[6]
6  |  Portugal | 12 August 1995[7]
7  |  Papua New Guinea | 1995[6]
8  |  South Africa | 9 February 1996[8]
9  |  Iran | 1996[6]
10  |  China | 25 July 1997[9]
11  |  Spain | 29 January 1998[10]
12  |  India | May 1998[11][12]
13  |  Fiji | 14 July 1998[13]
—  |  Holy See | 29 April 1999[14]
14  |  France | 19 October 1999[15]
15  |  Germany | 11 September 2001[16]
16  |  Cuba | 2 September 2002[17]
17  |  Timor-Leste | 2002[6]
18  |  Jamaica | 14 May 2003[18]
19  |  Italy | 9 October 2003[19]
20  |  Belgium | 6 April 2005[20]
21  |  Thailand | 24 May 2005[21]
22  |  Israel | April 2008[22]
23  |  Czech Republic | 12 May 2008[23]
24  |  Turkey | 20 October 2008[24]
25  |   Switzerland | 7 March 2011[25]
26  |  Japan | 16 June 2011[26]
27  |  Netherlands | 16 August 2011[27]
28  |  Philippines | 12 December 2011[28]
29  |  Singapore | 6 August 2012[29]
30  |  South Korea | 22 February 2013[30]
31  |  Samoa | 30 August 2013[31]
32  |  Tuvalu | August 2013[32]
33  |  Solomon Islands | 1 September 2013[33]
34  |  Kiribati | 3 September 2013[34]
35  |  Marshall Islands | 3 September 2013[34]
36  |  Palau | 3 September 2013[34]
—  |  Niue | 2013[6]
37  |  Vanuatu | 2013[6]
38  |  Federated States of Micronesia | 24 September 2014[35]
39  |  Tonga | 18 November 2014[36]
—  |  Kosovo | 28 May 2015[37]
40  |  Brazil | 21 August 2015[38]
41  |  Chile | 3 August 2016[39]
42  |  Peru | September 2017[40]
43  |  Malta | 6 October 2017[41]
44  |  Iceland | 13 October 2017[42]
45  |  Antigua and Barbuda | 9 November 2017[43]
46  |  United Arab Emirates | 5 August 2018[44]
47  |  Estonia | 25 August 2018[45]
48  |  Hungary | 20 September 2018[46]
49  |  Greece | 20 October 2018[47]
50  |  Indonesia | 12 July 2019[48]
51  |  Kuwait | 8 December 2021[49]
52  |  Vietnam | 26 April 2022[50]
53  |  Ireland | 21 November 2022[51]
54  |  Saudi Arabia | 11 April 2023[52]
55  |  Canada | 20 May 2023[53]
56  |  United States | 25 September 2023[54]
57  |  Ghana | 8 November 2023[55]
58  |  Mexico | 21 November 2023[56]
59  |  Panama | 8 March 2024[57]
60  |  Bangladesh | 11 April 2024[58]
61  |  Ecuador | 21 May 2024[59]
62  |  Seychelles | 31 May 2024[60]
63  |  Poland | 20 March 2025[61]
64  |  Azerbaijan | 29 April 2025[62]
65  |  Cambodia | 14 May 2025[63]

## Bilateral relations

[edit]

Country  | Formal Relations Began  | Notes

|
|

China | 1997[9] |

Main article: China–Cook Islands relations

The Chinese Embassy to New Zealand in Wellington is also accredited to the Cook Islands.[64]

India | 1998[65] |

Main article: Cook Islands–India relations

* The Indian High Commission in Suva, Fiji is accredited to the Cook Islands.[65]

New Zealand | 1993[6] |

Main article: Cook Islands–New Zealand relations

* The Cook Islands maintains a High Commission in Wellington and a Consul-General in Auckland.[66]
* New Zealand maintains a High Commission in Rarotonga.[67]

United States | 2023[68] |

Main article: Cook Islands–United States relations

The Cook Islands signed the Cook Islands–United States Maritime Boundary Treaty in 1980.[69] The US established diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands in 25 September 2023.[68]

## Consular relations

[edit]

The following countries have established consular relations with the Cook Islands only.

* Monaco 2007 or before[note 1]

## International organisation participation

[edit]

43rd Pacific Islands Forum, in the Cook Islands, 28.8.-1.9.2012

* ACP, AOSIS, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, IMO, ICC, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO[72] IOC, OPCW, Pacific Islands Forum, Red Cross/Red Crescent, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, WHO, WMO[73]
* Commonwealth of Nations – the Cook Islands are part of the Commonwealth, but is not a member state, being a dependency of New Zealand, whose Commonwealth membership covers the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau, as well as New Zealand itself.
* In November 2011, the Cook Islands were one of the eight founding members of Polynesian Leaders Group, a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment.[74][75][76]
* The Cook Islands participate in the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations regulatory body for the shipping trade.

## Participation in international treaties and conventions

[edit]

* Party to the following treaties and conventions: Biodiversity Convention, Cotonou Agreement, Geneva Conventions, POPs Project, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, UNCLOS, UNFCCC and its Kyoto protocol, Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty,[note 2] International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, Biological Weapons Convention, Convention of the International Mobile Satellite Organization[78]

## See also

[edit]

* List of diplomatic missions of the Cook Islands
* List of diplomatic missions in the Cook Islands
* Foreign relations of Niue
* Foreign relations of New Zealand
* Politics of the Cook Islands

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Cook Islands Honorary Consul is appointed to and acknowledged in Monaco since 2007 or before.[70][71]
2. ^ including the Facility Agreement with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.[77]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Cook Islands: Constitutional status and international personality" (PDF). Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. p. 2\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
2. ^ a b c Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs, Supplement No. 8, Volume VI at para 11 Archived 2013-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ Summary of Practice of the Secretary-General as Depositary of Multilateral Treaties (United Nations, New York, 1999) at para 86
4. ^ "Norges opprettelse av diplomatiske forbindelser med fremmede stater" [Norway's establishment of diplomatic relations with foreign states] (PDF) (in Norwegian). 1999-04-27. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
5. ^ "Senarai tarikh penubuhan hubungan diplomatik Malaysia dan negara - negara luar" (in Malay). Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (2015). "Foreign Affairs". Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 2015-10-18. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
7. ^ "Ilhas Cook" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 July 2022.
8. ^ "Cook Islands". Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
9. ^ a b "Joint Communique Between the People's Republic of China and the Cook Islands on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations". Embassy of the People's Republic of China to New Zealand. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
10. ^ "Islas Cook" (PDF) (in Spanish). p. 3. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
11. ^ Summary of World Broadcasts: Asia, Pacific. Vol. 3960–3971\. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2000. p. 11.
12. ^ "Former High Commissioners". Retrieved 21 May 2023.
13. ^ "Formal diplomatic relations list" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
14. ^ "Diplomatic relations of the Holy See". Retrieved 5 September 2022.
15. ^ "Liste Chronologique des Ambassadeurs, Envoyés Extraordinaires, Ministres Plénipotentiaires et Chargés D'Affaires de France à L'Étranger Depuis 1945" (PDF) (in French). p. 52.
16. ^ "Deutschland und die Cookinseln: Bilaterale Beziehungen". German Foreign Ministry. 2020-05-13. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
17. ^ "Cuba e Islas Cook festejan 15 años de relaciones diplomáticas" (in Spanish). 1 September 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
18. ^ "Countries with which Jamaica has Established Diplomatic Relations". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica. 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
19. ^ "STATI DI SERVIZIO DEL PERSONALE DELLA CARRIERA DIPLOMATICA E DELLA DIRIGENZA DEL MINISTERO DEGLI AFFARI ESTERI CHE HA CESSATO DI FAR PARTE DELL'AMMINISTRAZIONE DAL 1° GENNAIO 2000 AL 30 MAGGIO 2014" (PDF) (in Italian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
20. ^ "SERVICE PUBLIC FEDERAL AFFAIRES ETRANGERES, COMMERCE EXTERIEUR ET COOPERATION AU DEVELOPPEMENT" (in French). 6 April 2005. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
21. ^ "หมู่เกาะคุก (Cook Islands)" (in Thai). Retrieved 21 May 2023.
22. ^ "The Cook Islands". 10 July 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
23. ^ "Souhrnná teritoriální informace Cookovy ostrovy" [Summary of territorial information Cook Islands] (PDF) (in Czech). Czech Embassy Canberra & Czech Consulate Sydney. 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
24. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic (2011). "Türkiye–Cook Adaları Siyasi İlişkileri" [Turkey-Cook Islands Political Relations] (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2016-02-18. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
25. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (2011-03-07). "Cook Islands and Switzerland establish diplomatic relations". Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
26. ^ "Establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Cook Islands and a courtesy call by Mr Takeaki Matsumoto, Foreign Minister of Japan to Hon Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands" (PDF). Embassy of Japan in New Zealand. 2011-06-20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
27. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (2011-08-16). "Cook Islands and Netherlands establish diplomatic relations". Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
28. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (2011-12-16). "The Cook Islands and the Philippines Establish Formal Diplomatic Ties". Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
29. ^ "Singapore established bilateral relations with Niue and Cook Islands on 6 August 2012". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. "Singapore has established diplomatic relations with Cook Islands, ... Niue, ..."
30. ^ "KOREA ESTABLISHES DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE COOK ISLANDS". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2014. "The Cook Islands will mark the 190th country with which Korea has forged diplomatic relations."
31. ^ "Foreign Affairs & Trade Bulletin" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
32. ^ "Tuvalu PM visits Rarotonga". Cook Islands News. 30 October 2013. p. 9. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
33. ^ "Solomon Islands Diplomatic and Consular List". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands. 1 June 2020. pp. 36–38\. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
34. ^ a b c "Cook Island establishes diplomatic relations with Kiribati, Palau and Marshall Islands". 4 September 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
35. ^ "FSM Diplomatic Relations List". Government of the Federated States of Micronesia. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
36. ^ "Diplomatic relations with all Pacific Island Forum members complete". Cook Islands News. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
37. ^ Gëzim Visoka (2018). Acting Like a State: Kosovo and the Everyday Making of Statehood. Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 219–221\. ISBN 9781138285330.
38. ^ Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Brazil and the Cook Islands, retrieved 2015-09-01
39. ^ "His Excellency Isauro Torres Negri, Ambassador of Chile and His Excellency Mario Alzugaray Rodriguez, Ambassador of Cuba both presented their credentials to the Queens Representative, His Excellency Tom Marsters at Government House 3rd August 2016". Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
40. ^ "The Cook Islands expand relations with Latin American countries". Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
41. ^ "Joint communique". Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
42. ^ "Iceland - Establishment of Diplomatic Relations". Government of Iceland. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
43. ^ "Antigua and Barbuda Establishes Diplomatic Relations with the Cook Islands". Antigua Chronicle. 2017-11-15. Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
44. ^ "UAE, Cook Islands sign deal to establish diplomatic relations". The Gulf Today. 5 August 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
45. ^ "Estonia and Cook Islands establish diplomatic relations". MFA Estonia. 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
46. ^ "Cook Islands formalize diplomatic relations with Hungary". Facebook. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
47. ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs Announcement on the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands". Embassy of Greece in Canberra. 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
48. ^ "Indonesia Buka Hubungan Diplomatik dengan Niue dan Kepulauan Cook". detikNews (in Indonesian). 12 July 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
49. ^ "Kuwait signs a joint statement with the Cook Islands to establish diplomatic relations". 8 December 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
50. ^ "Vietnam, Cook Islands Establish Diplomatic Relations". 26 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
51. ^ "COOK ISLANDS AND IRELAND COMMIT TO STRENGTHEN CO-OPERATION". 21 November 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
52. ^ "Saudi Arabia, Cook Islands sign protocol to establish diplomatic relations between them". 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
53. ^ "COOK ISLANDS AND CANADA ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS". mfai.gov.ck. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
54. ^ "On the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and the Cook Islands". United States Department of State. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
55. ^ "Marking a milestone in our relations with Pacific countries, today in Rarotonga the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Hon. @MarkBrownPM and I signed an MOU to establish diplomatic relations between our two countries". 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
56. ^ Bravo, Alfredo Pérez (21 November 2023). "México fortalece su presencia en el Pacífico Sur. Con la Alta Comisionada HE Kairangi Samuela, tuve el honor de realizar el canje de notas con el cual se reconoció la existencia de relaciones diplomáticas entre México e Islas Cook" (in Spanish).
57. ^ "THE COOK ISLANDS FORMALISE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH PANAMA". 8 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
58. ^ "Cook Islands and Bangladesh Establish Diplomatic Relations". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Government of the Cook Islands. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
59. ^ "Ecuador firma un acuerdo con Islas Cook, que beneficia a la flota pesquera" (in Spanish). 23 May 2024.
60. ^ "Seychelles and Cooks Islands formalise diplomatic relations on margins of SIDS4". 31 May 2024.
61. ^ "Diplomatic and consular relations established between Republic of Poland and Cook Islands". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Poland. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
62. ^ "The Cook Islands and Azerbaijan Formalise Diplomatic Ties". Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration's on Facebook. 30 April 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
63. ^ "Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Cook Islands". mfaic.gov.kh. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
64. ^ "China-Cook Islands". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
65. ^ a b "India – Cook Islands Relations" (PDF). Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 15 January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
66. ^ "Overseas Mission". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
67. ^ "New Zealand High Commission to the Cook Islands". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
68. ^ a b "US recognizes Cook Islands and Niue as independent states | CNN Politics". CNN. September 25, 2023.
69. ^ Anderson, Ewan W. (2003). International Boundaries: A Geopolitical Atlas, p. 595; Charney, Jonathan I. et al. (2005). International Maritime Boundaries, 5 vols, pp. 985–993.
70. ^ Ordonnance Souveraine n° 1.259 du 10 août 2007 auto risant à exercer les fonctions de Consul honoraire des Iles Cook dans Notre Principauté. (Journal de Monaco Bulletin Officiel de la Principautè)
71. ^ Honorary Consul in Monaco Archived 2016-01-30 at the Wayback Machine
72. ^ Zabeena (2015-06-22). "Cook Islands joins ILO". Fiji Television Limited. Archived from the original on 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
73. ^ "The World Factbook 2020: Cook Islands". CIA. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
74. ^ "NZ may be invited to join proposed ‘Polynesian Triangle’ ginger group", Pacific Scoop, 19 September 2011
75. ^ "New Polynesian Leaders Group formed in Samoa", Radio New Zealand International, 18 November 2011
76. ^ "American Samoa joins Polynesian Leaders Group, MOU signed". Samoa News. Savalii. 20 November 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
77. ^ CBTO Preparatory Commission. "Cook Islands tenth State signatory to have signed Facility Agreement". Retrieved 2015-10-09.
78. ^ International Mobile Satellite Organization (2015). "Member States". Archived from the original on 2013-09-09. Retrieved 2015-10-09.

## External links

[edit]

* Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
* Cook Islands analysis
* The Cook Islands’ unique constitutional and international status
* Cook Islands Representatives Overseas 2006
* Diplomatic Relations List 2011

* v
* t
* e

Foreign relations of the Commonwealth of Nations

Member states|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Australia
* The Bahamas
* Bangladesh
* Barbados
* Belize
* Botswana
* Brunei
* Cameroon
* Canada
* Cyprus
* Dominica
* Eswatini
* Fiji
* The Gambia
* Gabon
* Ghana
* Grenada
* Guyana
* India
* Jamaica
* Kenya
* Kiribati
* Lesotho
* Malawi
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Malta
* Mauritius
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Nauru
* New Zealand
* Nigeria
* Pakistan
* Papua New Guinea
* Rwanda
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Samoa
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Singapore
* Solomon Islands
* South Africa
* Sri Lanka
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tonga
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Tuvalu
* Uganda
* United Kingdom
* Scotland
* Wales
* Vanuatu
* Zambia

Former Member states|

* Ireland
* Zimbabwe

Foreign states|

* France
* South Sudan

* v
* t
* e

Foreign relations of the Cook Islands

Asia|

* China
* India

Oceania|

* New Zealand

North America|

* United States

International
organisations|

* Pacific Islands Forum
* United Nations

Related topics|

* Diplomatic missions of / in the Cook Islands
* Political status of the Cook Islands

Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration

* v
* t
* e

Foreign relations of Oceania

Sovereign states|

* Australia
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Fiji
* Indonesia
* Kiribati
* Marshall Islands
* Nauru
* New Zealand
* Palau
* Papua New Guinea
* Samoa
* Solomon Islands
* Timor-Leste
* Tonga
* Tuvalu
* Vanuatu

Associated states
of New Zealand|

* Cook Islands
* Niue

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template