Our people deserve clarity about where things stand. The Cook Islands Government has been working consistently to address concerns raised by New Zealand, and we remain fully committed to doing that work with the same attention to detail, care and diligence that we have applied throughout this year.
Our agencies have been involved in detailed discussions through direct senior-level meetings and exchanges to support the restoration of mutual trust and confidence in our bilateral relationship. That engagement continues, and our priority is to keep these conversations constructive and grounded in good faith.
Yesterday, I met with Cabinet and briefed members of the Opposition to ensure there is clear understanding of our national position. We agree on the importance of our relationship with New Zealand, and that every effort needs to be made to restore it to one based on mutual respect and trust. We also agree that this requires steady, solutions-focused dialogue at officials’ level, and a willingness by both sides to move toward greater clarity about how we work together.
Our constitutional relationship with New Zealand is important to us. It has served both countries well for six decades, and it has evolved over time through practice, partnership, and shared commitment. Our approach is to strengthen that relationship, not weaken it. We are not seeking to concede any aspect of our sovereignty. Our focus is on reaffirming the conventions that have guided our cooperation for many years, and building on areas where expectations and understandings have not been so clearly defined.
We have already offered a number of practical steps that would support this, including jointly defining consultation under the Joint Centenary Declaration and establishing a clearer framework for defence and security cooperation. These proposals reflect our desire to bring greater certainty and stability to the relationship while upholding our responsibilities as a self-governing state.
Our officials continue to prioritise this work despite limited resources and competing priorities, because it matters to the long-term interests of our people. We will keep engaging, keep listening, and keep putting forward constructive pathways that reflect both our commitment to New Zealand, to our shared Realm, and to our responsibility to safeguard our sovereignty, economic resilience, and international standing.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Manegement has confirmed that our current fiscal settings remain sound. We are managing cashflow responsibly while officials work through the remediation process. This moment reinforces the importance of strengthening our economic resilience and reducing over-reliance on any single development partner.
I remain confident that with continued dialogue, respect for our shared history, and clarity around our future expectations, we will find a way forward that strengthens our partnership for the next generation.
