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

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The funding cut leaves the Cook Islands facing a sudden financial shortfall, prompting warnings that Wellington’s approach could backfire.

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.

Major partner New Zealand has halted millions of dollars in aid to the Cook Islands, citing a “lack of consultation” over agreements struck with China in February.

WELLINGTON – New Zealand has suspended millions of dollars in budget funding to the Cook Islands, it said on June 19, as the relationship between the two constitutionally linked countries ...

New Zealand has suspended millions of dollars in funding to the Cook Islands over agreements the smaller Pacific nation made with China.

New Zealand’s government halted aid to close partner the Cook Islands on Thursday because of a row over agreements the Pacific island nation struck with China. New Zealand “paused” the payments and ...

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 was earmarked for “core sector support”, which funds the Cook Islands’ health, education and tourism sectors, with audits by Wellington on how it’s spent. The money is part of NZ $200 ...