Barcelona, Spain 11 April 2024: On the margins of the 2024 United Nations Ocean Decade Conference currently taking place in Barcelona Spain, the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr Wavel Ramkalawan and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mr Mark Brown held discussions on establishing diplomatic relations between the two island states.

Cook Islands is a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean located approximately halfway between French Polynesia and American Samoa. It comprises 15 islands and has a population of around 17,500. The islands are a combination of Volcanic islands and Coral Atolls with a total land area of 236 sqkm and an EEZ of over 2.2 million square kilometers.

Seychelles and the Cook Islands share many similarities as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) championing pressing issues relating to climate action and carbon neutrality. Both Seychelles and the Cook Islands are members of the AOSIS and Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States, two crucial organisations for SIDS advocacy. Both countries are considered high income. In 2020, the Cook Islands attained high-income status and Seychelles graduated to high income status in 2015 and both economies are heavily dependent on Tourism.

During discussions President Ramkalawan reciprocated Seychelles’ interest in furthering talks to establishing diplomatic relations with Cook islands, “Our two countries share the common goals of furthering the cause of SIDS in the face of unprecedented threats of climate change. Therefore, establishing diplomatic relations will further enhance the opportunities of working together to promote and defend the interest of SIDS in combatting climate change as well as other important issues for our peoples. We look forward to further strengthening the ties we have discussed today” said President Ramkalawan.

On his part Prime Minister Brown reiterated  his country’s wishes to further explore and deepen areas of bilateral cooperation with Seychelles in offering the two island nations potential for productive engagements on SIDS specific issues, including strengthening international commitments to climate change matters and sharing of best policy measures in addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. 

Other areas of possible cooperation discussed also includes tourism, blue economy through ‘Deep water science Research’, shared best practices as well as Sea bed exploration techniques.