New Zealand Suspends Nearly $30 Million in Aid to Cook Islands
Months of discussions aimed at mending New Zealand’s relationship with its Pacific neighbor have been unsuccessful. New Zealand has halted two years’ worth of aid payments, totaling approximately $30 million, signaling a sharp decline in political ties between the two nations.
In June, Foreign Minister Winston Peters stopped $18.2 million in funding after the Cook Islands signed several controversial agreements with China without consulting New Zealand, a required step as a realm country.
"The gravity of the Cook Islands' breach of trust" and what appears to be a continuing dispute over the interpretation of "free association with New Zealand."
A letter dated October 13 from Peters to Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, obtained through the Official Information Act by 1News, confirmed that the $18.2 million remains paused along with an additional scheduled payment around this time, bringing the total aid suspension to $29.8 million.
The correspondence highlighted a serious breakdown in communication between New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
"The gravity of the Cook Islands' breach of trust," Peters noted, underscoring ongoing tensions about the meaning of the relationship under "free association."
(Source: 1News)
Summary: New Zealand has suspended nearly $30 million in aid to the Cook Islands due to unresolved disputes over unauthorized agreements with China and breakdowns in diplomatic communication.