Cook Islands election: PM Mark Brown speaks on the diplomatic crises that defined his year
Summary
The Cook Islands are holding a general election amid debates over deep-sea mining, diplomatic tensions with New Zealand, and new foreign partnerships, especially with China. Prime Minister Mark Brown defended his decisions, saying the country works with other nations on its own terms, but the new China agreements caused concern and economic challenges.Key Facts
- The Cook Islands has about 17,000 people and faces important choices in its general election.
- Prime Minister Mark Brown has led the country since 2020 and signed partnership deals with China in 2025.
- These deals caused tension with New Zealand, a longtime ally that temporarily stopped aid due to concerns about transparency.
- A new Defense and Security Agreement with New Zealand was signed to improve relations.
- The opposition leader, Teariki Heather, opposes the China partnership and values close ties with New Zealand.
- The Cook Islands economy suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic mainly because tourism makes up about 70% of its income.
- The government worked to cut debt and grow the economy by more than 10% per year after 2022.
- Rising fuel prices due to conflict in the Middle East affected the islands, leading the government to create a fund to stabilize energy costs.
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