Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown will travel to New Zealand next week for a programme of engagements focussed on strengthening ties with our people and reinforcing the enduring relationship between the Cook Islands and Aotearoa New Zealand.
The visit comes as the Cook Islands marks 60 years of self-governance and continues to strengthen its national direction at home and abroad.
“This visit is centred on one clear priority: reconnecting with our people,” Prime Minister Brown said.
“Over the past sixty years, our nation has grown well beyond our shores. Today, more than 90,000 people of Cook Islands heritage live in New Zealand. They are raising families, building businesses, serving in frontline roles, leading in sport, education, health and the arts. They contribute every day to the communities they are part of, while remaining deeply connected to their homeland.”
The Cook Islands community in New Zealand is young, growing, and increasingly multi-generational. It reflects a confident Pacific identity that is grounded in culture and active in civic and economic life.
“When Cook Islanders pursue opportunity abroad, they do not leave the nation behind. They extend it,” the Prime Minister said.
“This visit is about listening to our people, sharing our national direction, and strengthening the ties that bind Cook Islands community to home. It also allows us an invaluable opportunity to connect with our diplomatic partners resident in New Zealand as well as academic and private sector interests to provide insight into the Cook Islands forward development priorities and opportunities for continued collaboration.”
In Wellington, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address reflecting on 60 years of self-governance and outlining the next chapter of national development. The address will focus on identity, economic resilience, and the role of our global Cook Islands community in shaping the future.
In Auckland, the programme will prioritise direct engagement with Cook Islands community groups and diaspora representatives. These sessions will provide an opportunity to share updates on national priorities and to hear directly from our people living abroad.
“This visit is about walking forward together, strengthening the connection between our homeland and our communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. The next chapter of the Cook Islands story will be written by all of us. Kua kite au i toku turanga, e Avaiki toku,” Prime Minister Brown said.
Further updates regarding the Prime Minister’s visit will be shared through the appropriate channels, as the visit progresses.
