The Cook Islands, a group of 15 small islands in the Pacific Ocean, have been closely tied to New Zealand for decades.

New Zealand has what is known as a "free association" relationship with the Cook Islands, and helps the latter with defence and foreign affairs. In the last three years, Wellington provided NZ$194m in ...

The money is part of NZ $200 million directed to the Cook Islands by New Zealand over the past three years as part of an almost 60-year-old free association compact.

New Zealand has paused millions of dollars in development funding to the Cook Islands after previously saying it was blindsided by the island nation’s deals with China earlier this year.

The money is part of NZ $200 million directed to the Cook Islands by New Zealand over the past three years as part of an almost 60-year-old free association compact.

The money is part of NZ $200 million directed to the Cook Islands by New Zealand over the past three years as part of an almost 60-year-old free association compact.

The money is part of NZ $200 million directed to the Cook Islands by New Zealand over the past three years as part of an almost 60-year-old free association compact.