High Commissioners from Canada and Papua New Guinea will visit Rarotonga this week to present their Letters of Introduction to Prime Minister Mark Brown during a ceremony facilitated by Te Kauono Tutara e te Mana Tiaki – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI).

The High Commissioners include Keith Smith, representing Canada, and Sakia Tameo, representing Papua New Guinea. Both are residents in Wellington, New Zealand.

During their visit, the High Commissioners will call on MFAI Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Tingika Elikana, and other government and business representatives where the two countries have common interests.

According to a statement from MFAI, Canada and the Cook Islands formalised diplomatic relations just over a year ago, but bilateral and multilateral cooperation go back at least three decades.

“Discussions are expected to focus on climate resilience, sustainable development, renewable energy, tourism, and people-to-people ties,” the statement said.

Cooperation between the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea go back several decades with strong people-to-people ties, including early missionaries to Papua New Guinea coming from the Cook Islands, according to MFAI.

Discussions are expected to focus on cooperation in business, banking, ICT, music, sport, culture, fisheries management, regional security, climate resilience and people-to-people ties.

“The Cook Islands values these opportunities to strengthen international and regional partnerships that support the development priorities of the Cook Islands and promote resilience, sustainability, and shared development goals.”