Media Release - Karere Uira

The Cook Islands’ new passenger and cargo vessel, MV Tuitui Moana, has arrived safely in Rarotonga following the successful completion of its delivery voyage from China. The vessel arrived at Avatiu Harbour on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, after travelling from Nansha, Guangzhou, through Cebu in the Philippines, Lae in Papua New Guinea, and Suva in Fiji. A welcome ceremony was held at Avatiu Harbour, attended by Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliam

The Cook Islands Government (CIG) has approved and released its Domestic Shipping Policy, a new framework to guide the planning, operation and oversight of Government-owned and operated shipping services connecting Rarotonga with the Pa Enua. The Policy was approved by Cabinet on 4 June 2026. The Policy applies to CIG-owned and operated vessels and services. It does not impose new obligations or requirements on private sector shipping operators, who will continue to operate u

The Command Team and delivery crew aboard Tuitui Moana completed a simulated emergency fire drill on 29 July 2026 while the vessel was underway approximately 50 nautical miles north of Western Papua. The planned exercise tested the crew’s ability to respond to a potential fire onboard while at sea. It included activating emergency procedures, communicating between different areas of the vessel, preparing the vessel’s firefighting systems and ensuring each crew member understo

Three men from Pukapuka have arrived in Rarotonga to begin preparations for their roles as deckhands aboard the Cook Islands’ new passenger and cargo vessel, Tuitui Moana. The new deckhands are: Mozela Teiho-Tua Tokoiva Ruarau Takuria Patakuria Their arrival is another important step in preparing the Cook Islands crew who will support the vessel once it arrives home and enters service. As part of their preparation, the three deckhands will travel to New Zealand to undertake S

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) have formalised their partnership through the signing of a Service Agreement to support the implementation of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Enhancing Direct Access (EDA) Project, “Direct Financing for Communities and Businesses to Respond to Climate Change in the Cook Islands”. The GCF EDA Project was established through the signing of the Green Climate Fund Funded Activity Agreement o

The Cook Islands new passenger and cargo vessel, Tuitui Moana, officially departed Nansha, Guangzhou, China yesterday, beginning her delivery voyage home to the Cook Islands. The voyage will take the vessel through Cebu in the Philippines, Lae in Papua New Guinea, and Suva in Fiji, before arriving in Rarotonga. The journey is expected to take approximately 46 days, depending on weather and operational conditions. The departure follows months of preparation by the Cook Islands

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, through its Major Projects and Procurement Support Division, is helping introduce 10 new electric motorbikes for Community Safety and Monitoring work in Rarotonga. The motorbikes are being provided with support from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, as part of its development cooperation with the Cook Islands. The purpose is simple: the bikes will help local Puna move around more easily, be more visible, and res

The Revenue Management Division would like to remind all taxpayers that 2025 tax returns are due by 02 March 2026. A compliance verification exercise will be carried out before this date. The purpose of this exercise is to confirm taxpayer registration and filing compliance, ensuring that all taxpayers are properly registered with RMD and have submitted all required tax returns under the relevant tax legislation. This exercise will pay particular attention to operators in the

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM), through its Major Projects and Procurement Support (MPPS) Division, has released the 2025/26 Pa Enua Capital Distribution Fund (PECDF) Circular inviting application submissions from Island Governments. The annual PECDF provides capital funding support to Island Governments for the purchase, replacement or capital improvement of essential plant and equipment. As funding is limited, PECDF is allocated through a competitive

MFEM-MPPS recently signed a contract with CBS Power Solutions Ltd for the Northern Cook Islands Battery Systems Replacement (NCIBSR) Project works. Site visits to the Northern islands were originally scheduled for 8-13 December 2025 but due to technical issues with the chartered jet, this was rescheduled to the 19-24 January 2026. CBS Power Solutions took advantage of meeting with Government Agencies for registrations, local contractors, suppliers and logistic companies as t

The Cook Islands Customs Service advises the public, importers and all stakeholders that the HS2022 Tariff has been approved by the Executive Council and came into effect on 10 December 2025. The tariff aligns with international trade standards and includes updated duty rates and concessions. Key Update: Tobacco products – Excise duty rates have been amended to provide for an annual increase of $125.50 per 1,000 cigarettes or per kilogram of tobacco for the first three years,

The Cook Islands’ two inter-island vessels currently being procured will soon carry names chosen by our young people, following the conclusion of the national “Topa’anga o to tatou nga Pae o te Kuki Airani – Name Our Vessels” competition. From a total of 156 entries submitted by schools, youth groups, and communities across the country, the judging panel selected “Matakiva” and “Tuitui Moana” as the winning names. “Matakiva” was submitted by Atillar Lernato-te-ngari-o-te-me

The traditional rauti cutting, led by Teurukura Ariki and Financial Secretary Garth Henderson, symbolised the strong partnership between Government and the people of Aitutaki. Orometua Rev. Naporoaki Taia led the dedication, who shared a reminder that true purpose comes not just from the building itself, but from the values we carry into it. Integrity, service, humility, and faith. Financial Secretary Henderson acknowledged Inland Revenue and Customs as a cornerstone of our e

The Cook Islands Government is proud to announce the arrival of two new inter-island vessels, which will play an important role in strengthening our connection with the Pa Enua. These vessels will help us stay connected across our islands, ensuring communities remain linked, supported, and included in our shared future. To celebrate this milestone, we are inviting name suggestions from our Tamariki across the country. For now, the vessels are referred to as “Vessel 1” and “Ve

Introduction The Revenue Management Division (RMD) of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) is initiating a public consultation process regarding the following changes to Part 2 of the Customs Tariff Act 2012. Amending Tariff Concession and Value Added Tax (VAT) Exemption on Personal Importation (Concession Reference Number 80) New Tariff Concession and Value Added Tax (VAT) Exemption on Returning Cook Islanders for the Purpose of Educational, Vocational Trai

Date: Wednesday, 07 May 2025 Please be advised that, effective immediately, all tax payments to Revenue Management Division (RMD) must be made to our new bank accounts. Please do not use the old account, as payments made there will not be credited to your tax records. For full bank details, including SWIFT codes for international transfers, please refer to the attached poster. If you have any questions or require assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us on Ph

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM), Major Projects and Procurement Support, Airport Authorities Cook Islands (AACI), Te Marae Ora (TMO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announce the successful contract signing for the construction of additional facilities for the Cook Islands International Airport. The contract for the project has been awarded to Cook Islands-based Landholdings Ltd, which will undertake the construction of two medical rooms, additional

Major Projects and Procurement Support (MPPS), Te Marae Ora (TMO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announce the successful contract signing for the procurement and installation of a Photovoltaic (PV) System for the Rarotonga Hospital. 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲, 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝, the contract works includes the design, supply and installation of an 80kW Photovoltaic (PV) System as well as solar inverters and mains connectio

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 is to confirm that no delays to this project are attributed to New Zealand despite discussions in Parliament recently. Cook Islanders living in the Northern Group experience intermitted power cuts due to irregular system component failures, the Cook Islands Government is addressing these issues through the Northern Battery Replacement Project and the Pa Enua Capital Distribution Fund. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨

I tēia ʻatiʻanga nei te mou nei te Kavamani Kūki ʻAirani i tētaʻi au kaioʻu. Karē tēia i te mea mātaukoreʻia me mou tētaʻi au Ipukarea i tētaʻi kaioʻu, e ko te rāvenga tēia e rauka ai te moni nō te ʻakapūʻapinga ki roto i tētaʻi au ʻakakoroʻanga Ipukarea. Kua ʻāite tēia i tāʻau kā rave mē ʻoko ʻare koe nā roto i te tāraʻuʻanga moni ki te pāngika. Mē ka ʻakaputu moni koe nō te ʻoko peke i tōʻou ʻare, ka roa te tuatau e tupu ei te reira – te kitea nei tēia ki roto i tā mātou au

The Governments of the Cook Islands and the People’s Republic of China have reaffirmed their commitment to economic development and technical support through the signing of an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement in Harbin on 14 February 2025. As part of the agreement, China has committed a grant of RMB ¥20,000,000 (approx. NZD $4,600,000) to fund projects that will be agreed upon by both governments, with final approvals given once details are confirmed. The agreemen

Following a month of stakeholder consultations, the 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐌𝐏𝐏𝐒), a division within the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) launches the review of its activity management system, the Tarai Vaka Process. 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒, the Tarai Vaka Process (TVP) is the Cook Islands National activity management system implemented to streamline planning, implementin

Extended Deadline to 7th February 2025 Through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness and Preparatory Programme, we cordially invite submissions of quotations from suitably qualified individuals with relevant experience to conduct a Capacity Needs Assessment for the GCF Integrated Results Management Framework (IRMF). The purpose of this assessment is to support the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and its stakeholders in the formulation of a comprehensiv

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