Media reports South Pacific country to announce independence


(MENAFN) The Cook Islands is set to declare full independence from New Zealand, according to a report based on declassified government documents. The 15-island archipelago, which has been self-governing since 1965, currently relies on New Zealand for defense and budget funding, while both territories recognize King Charles III as their head of state.

Prime Minister Mark Brown has expressed the Cook Islands' desire to establish separate citizenship and issue its own passports, a move that New Zealand views as raising significant constitutional questions. However, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has stated that while Wellington does not oppose the Cook Islands declaring independence, it would require a referendum among the islands' citizens, most of whom are also New Zealand citizens.

With a population of 15,000, the Cook Islands has deep ties to New Zealand, where around 80,000 Cook Islanders live. The islands, located approximately 1,900 miles from New Zealand, have a history of European contact dating back to the 1590s and have been named after British explorer Captain James Cook. Their economy is centered on tourism, fishing, offshore banking, and pearl exports, supplemented by New Zealand's financial support.

The US formally recognized the Cook Islands as a sovereign nation in September 2023, establishing diplomatic ties with Avarua.

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