The Cook Island pearl industry is integral to the sustainable economic development of the nation.
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Cook Islands
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Since July 2004 New Zealand and Australia have combined their aid programmes to the Cook Islands. The objective of donor harmonisation is to enhance the effectiveness of aid so that it has greater impact. NZAID manages this single coordinated programme on behalf of AusAID.
Snapshot
The Cook Islands are spread across almost two million square kilometres of ocean north east of New Zealand near Samoa, Kiribati and Tahiti. The country consists of two groups of islands which cover a total land area of just 241 square kilometres. Thirteen of the islands are inhabited and two are uninhabited. The North Cook Islands are atolls, the South Cook Islands are volcanic and comparatively fertile.
Half of the population of around 21,000 people live on the island of Rarotonga. The Cook Islands became self-governing in free association with New Zealand in 1965. The Cook Islands' special constitutional relationship with New Zealand means all Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens.
Tourism is the main industry and most significant employer. Despite strong growth in tourism over recent years, the economy is vulnerable due to limited opportunities for diversification. Exports include black pearls, tropical fruits and fish.
Population loss, especially from the outer islands, is of growing concern in the Cook Islands. Other major development issues include run-down infrastructure and rising energy costs.
NZAID priorities
NZAID's top priority is to support economic and social development in the Cook Islands. A 10-year joint strategy for 2008-2017 between NZAID, AusAID and the Cook Islands Government aims to build prospects for sustainable economic development, including through support to infrastructure development, improve the delivery of basic social services and strengthen governance. This Joint Country Strategy is guided by the Cook Islands’ National Sustainable Development Plan which was launched in January 2007.
NZAID on the ground
Education
Education and training accounted for almost 40 percent of the NZAID/AusAID bilateral allocation for 2008/09, in recognition of the fact that one of the biggest challenges facing the Cook Islands is skill shortages across every sector of society and government.
The Cook Islands Government is implementing a sector-wide approach (SWAp) to education, with NZAID and AusAID support. It is based on a long-term strategy to improve the quality of education from pre-school to vocational studies, including for those with special needs.
NZAID/AusAID assistance to the education sector focuses on:
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support to schools and the Ministry of Education. This includes the provision of teachers and curriculum advisers, upskilling of principals, heads of department, and upgrading of school libraries
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refurbishment of school buildings
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in-country training, particularly for trades such as automotive, electrical and carpentry; business management and tourism
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short-term training awards in New Zealand
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scholarships to study in New Zealand and the Pacific region with priority given to tourism, finance, education/teaching, marine, environment and health.
Economic development
A focus on the outer islands underpins much of NZAID's and AusAID's joint programme. The agencies support infrastructure projects such as harbours, power and water supplies, as well as the social and economic development of the outer island communities through ensuring participation of outer islanders in all activities in the programme.
Marine resources
2008/09 was the third year of an institutional strengthening programme for the Cook Islands Ministry of Marine Resources. Strategic plans are being implemented that focus on the tuna industry, pearls and integrated environmental protection for inshore fisheries.
Governance
NZAID and AusAID continue to support a range of projects in the areas of good governance and public sector improvement in the Cook Islands. This includes a public sector technical assistance fund, core funding to non-government organisations and support to capacity development of the Cook Islands police force (NZAID funds only).
Gender equality
The goal of this programme is the equal participation of women and men as contributors to and beneficiaries of development in the Cook Islands. With NZAID and AusAID's support, Cook Islands acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2007. NZAID and AusAID also funds the work of Punanga Tauturu, the Women's Counselling Centre, and the Cook Islands National Council of Women.
Other projects
Cyclone recovery
New Zealand committed NZ$10 million over three years to a package of projects, mainly for the outer islands, to restore infrastructure damaged in the cyclones of 2005. This includes harbour reconstruction, community cyclone shelters, supplementary ground water systems, a new Red Cross base for emergency action and to store emergency supplies, and support for the Cook Islands Emergency Management plan.
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