Cook Islands–United Kingdom relations

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Cook Islands–United Kingdom relations
Map indicating locations of Cook Islands and United Kingdom

Cook Islands
United Kingdom
Cook Islander Prime Minister Mark Brown with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly at a United Nations General Assembly in New York City, September 2023.

The Cook Islands–United Kingdom relations encompass the foreign and bilateral relations between the Cook Islands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The two countries have informal relations, and have not established official diplomatic relations.

Both countries share common membership of the World Health Organization.

History

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The UK governed the Cook Islands from 1888 to 1901, when the Cook Islands were transferred to New Zealand.[1]

Economic relations

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The Cook Islands is eligible to accede to the Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement, a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom.[2]

Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the UK and Pacific States signed the Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement on 14 March 2019. The Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement is a continuity trade agreement, based on the EU free trade agreement, which entered into force on 1 January 2021.[3][4] Trade value between the Pacific States and the United Kingdom was worth £286 million in 2022.[5]

Diplomatic missions

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  • The Cook Islands does not maintain an embassy in the United Kingdom.
  • The United Kingdom is not accredited to the Cook Islands through an embassy; the UK develops relations through its high commission in Wellington, New Zealand.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ BBC News (9 January 2018). "Cook Islands Profile". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  2. ^ Department of International Trade (March 2019). Continuing the United Kingdom's trade relationship with the Republic of Fiji and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ("the Pacific States") (PDF). GOV.UK (Report). Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  3. ^ Department for International Trade (14 March 2019). "UK and Pacific Islands sign trade continuity agreement". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  4. ^ Partington, Richard (14 March 2019). "UK signs post-Brexit trade deal with Fiji and Papua New Guinea". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  5. ^ Department for International Trade (3 November 2022). "UK trade agreements in effect". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  6. ^ "British High Commission Wellington". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.