Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Minister Mahuta and Cook Islands Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Brown held a constructive and engaging meeting that reflected the whanaungatanga the two countries share. They reiterated a joint commitment to working together in the Pacific through shared challenges, such as addressing climate change and building economic resilience.
Priorities for the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum meeting were shared, including strengthening regional unity and sharing lessons from our COVID-19 responses. Minister Mahuta congratulated Prime Minister Brown on the Cook Islands’ successful management of their COVID-19 outbreak, and its high vaccination rates.