Foreign relations of the Cook Islands

Foreign relations of the Cook Islands

  Cook Islands

  States that maintain diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands

  Diplomatic relations with the European Union (members not having established relations individually)

  States that maintain consular relations with the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with various countries and is a member of multilateral organisations.

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..."^[1] 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^[3] 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".^[4]

The Cook Islands has diplomatic relations with 43 states. It has 2 diplomatic Missions, a High Commission in New Zealand and an Embassy accredited to the European Union (EU) in Brussels. Todd McClay served as Cook Islands Ambassador to the EU from 2002 to 2008. McClay retired from that position and moved back to New Zealand to successfully contest the Roturua seat in the 2008 New Zealand General Election. James Gosselin, the Cook Islands Secretary of Foreign Affairs, currently serves as the Cook Islands non-resident representative to the European Union (resident in Rarotonga).

In 2000 the Cook Islands government signed the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP).

Upon signature of this agreement the Cook Islands Government established a representation to the EU in Brussels. In 2002 this representation was upgraded to a full diplomatic mission with accreditation to the European Union. The establishment of this mission marked an important development in Cook Islands international relations representing the first full diplomatic mission established by the Cook Islands outside of Pacific countries.

The Cook Islands Mission to the European Communities interacts with European Union institutions, the ACP Group of States and other bilateral country representations and embassies.

Diplomatic relations

The following countries have established formal diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands through the conclusion of joint communiqués and the like and/or seeking the accreditation of High Commissioners/Ambassadors:^[5]

Oceania

•  Australia* 1994
•  Fiji* 1998
•  Kiribati 3 September 2013 ^[6]
•  Marshall Islands 3 September 2013 ^[7]
•  Micronesia 24 September 2014 ^[8][9]
•  Nauru 1994
•  New Zealand* 1993; Cook Islands–New Zealand relations
•  Niue 2013 ^[10]
•  Palau 3 September 2013 ^[11]
•  Papua New Guinea 1995
•  Samoa 2013 ^[12]
•  Solomon Islands 2013 ^[13]
•  Tonga 18 November 2014 ^[14]
•  Tuvalu 2013 ^[15]
•  Vanuatu 2013 ^[16]

Europe

•  Belgium* 6 April 2005
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina* 10 April 1996
•  Czech Republic* 12 May 2008^[17]
•  European Union 2001; Cook Islands–European Union relations
•  France 2000; Cook Islands–France relations
•  Germany* 11 September 2001
•  Holy See* 29 April 1999
•  Italy* 21 February 2002
•  Norway 1998
•  Netherlands 16 August 2011^[18]
•  Portugal* 12 August 1995
•  Spain 29 January 1998
•   Switzerland 2011^[19]
•  Turkey 9 April 2008

Asia

•  China* 25 July 1997; China–Cook Islands relations
•  India 1998
•  Iran* 1 March 1996
•  Israel * 2008 ^[20][21]
•  Malaysia 2 May 1992
•  Thailand* April 2005
•  Timor-Leste* 17 August 2002
•  Japan 16 June 2011;^[22] Cook Islands–Japan relations
•  Philippines 12 December 2011^[23]
•  Singapore 6 August 2012^[24]
•  South Korea 22 February 2013^[25][26][27]

Americas

•  Cuba* 2 September 2002
•  Jamaica May 2003
•  United States* 2005 or before^{[note 1]}; Cook Islands–United States relations

Africa

•  South Africa* 9 February 1996

Proposed diplomatic relations

•  Ireland not yet established^{[note 2]}
•  Monaco not yet established^{[note 3]}

International organisation participation

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• ACP, AOSIS, AsDB, ESCAP (associate), FAO, ICAO, IMO, ICC, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCRCS, IOC, OPCW, Pacific Islands Forum, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

• 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 4]} International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, Biological Weapons Convention, Convention of the International Mobile Satellite Organization,^[40]

• 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.^[41][42][43]

Notes

(* diplomatic envoys have been accredited or agréments issued and credentials remain to be presented)

See also

• 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

External links

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

References

Foreign relations of the Cook Islands Americas United States Asia China Japan Europe France Oceania New Zealand International organisations European Union Pacific Island 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