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 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

Led by Prime Minister and ADB Governor, Hon. Mark Brown held its first bilateral meeting with the Pacific Department of the Asian Development Bank today. The meeting delved into how ADB, with its extensive resources and expertise, can lend support to the Cook Islands, as well as other Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). With the recent ADF14 replenishment, there's renewed momentum to bolster efforts towards sustainable development in t

Starlink kits are subject to the same rules as all imports to the Cook Islands. There is no import duty payable on the kits, but they are subject to 15% VAT on importation. If imported through normal channels such as mail, courier or freight systems importers will pay 15% VAT on the price of the kits plus the costs of bringing them to the Cook Islands. There will also be associated costs such as import entry fees and Customs Brokers charges which will vary according to tr

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) proudly announces its successful reaccreditation as a National Implementing Entity (NIE) to the Adaptation Fund, reaffirming its commitment to advancing climate resilience and sustainable development. The Adaptation Fund Board approved MFEM's reaccreditation at its 41st meeting in October 2023. The accreditation is for five years and expires on 13 October 2028. MFEM was first accredited to the Adaptation Fund in 2016. Th

Journey from pioneering access to sustained success BCI with GCF Delegation, BCI is the most recent success story of the Cook Islands GCF Readiness Programme Journey, an example of leadership exhibited by a team of women from our local bank. In a testament to commitment, innovation and resilience, the Cook Islands recently hosted the Green Climate Fund Executive Director Mafalda Duarte and delegation to a readiness success story event. This gathering brought together key stak

to give us a fair go at making meaningful interventions within our communities Cook Islands Associate Minister (AM) of Finance, Hon. Tingika Elikana recently attended the eight annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Held on September 25 - 26, the annual meeting was the first to be organised in the African continent, and the first to be physically held after the Covid-19 pandemic. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (A