The Office of the Prime Minister is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for Te Tango Raumaire o Avaiki: The Cook Islands National Awards. This historic awards system, launched earlier this year, provides a uniquely Cook Islands way of recognising service, leadership, peu Māori, innovation, bravery, and achievement. It celebrates Cook Islanders who…
Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Hon. Mark Brown, met yesterday with Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. James Marape, on the margins of PNG’s 50th Independence celebrations. The bilateral meeting reaffirmed the strong friendship between the two nations, built on deep cultural, spiritual, and historic ties. Prime Minister Brown congratulated Prime Minister Marape…
The Cook Islands will participate in the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting (PIFLM54) in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 7–12 September. The meeting theme, “Iumi Tugeda: Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent,” speaks to the region’s shared identity and collective responsibility to move from strategy to action. Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown will…
Prime Minister Mark Brown hosted a State Dinner on 4 August to mark the Cook Islands’ 60th anniversary of self-governance, welcoming national dignitaries, regional leaders and international partners to an evening of reflection and celebration. Held in Rarotonga following the official Constitution Day ceremony, the State Dinner brought together national leaders from the Pa Enua,…
Prime Minister the Honourable Mark Brown met this week with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Cook Islands, His Excellency Mr Muhanna Aba Alkhail, as part of the official engagements marking the Cook Islands’ 60th anniversary of self-government in free association with New Zealand. The visit, Ambassador Alkhail’s second to the…
This morning, Prime Minister Mark Brown hosted a commemorative breakfast at The Islander Hotel to mark the 40th anniversary of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty – also known as the Treaty of Rarotonga, reaffirming the Pacific’s enduring commitment to peace. The intimate gathering brought together regional leaders and diplomatic representatives from some of…
Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, the Honourable Mark Brown, has announced the reappointment of His Excellency Sir Tom Marsters as the King’s Representative in the Cook Islands, for a further three-year term. The reappointment follows confirmation received from His Majesty King Charles III. The announcement was made during the official Constitution Day celebrations on…
Prime Minister the Honourable Mark Brown met yesterday, with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the Cook Islands, Dr Xiaolong Wang, on the margins of the country’s 60th anniversary celebrations. During the meeting, Ambassador Wang presented a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping, acknowledging the significance of the occasion and reaffirming…
Prime Minister the Honourable Mark Brown met with His Excellency Makoto Osawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Cook Islands, and senior officials from the Japanese Embassy in Wellington, during a bilateral engagement held on Tuesday, 5 August 2025 in Rarotonga. The Cook Islands and Japan share common goals and aspirations which were appropriately articulated at…
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Cook Islands. Begin Text. On the occasion of the Cook Islands’ 60th Anniversary as a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand on August 4, 2025, the Governments of the United States of America and…