Pacific Islands Arab joint meeting

The Prime Minister, the Hon Jim Marurai, along with other political leaders from the region participated in the first-ever Pacific Island Countries-Arab Joint Meeting, held in Abu Dhabi on 23-24 June. The purpose of the Meeting was to explore ways and means to invigorate cooperation between the two regions in political, economic, social and cultural fields.
The Summit agreed on concrete steps to formulate a five-year programme to deepen cooperation between the two regions.
The Prime Minister highlighted opportunities for investment and economic cooperation between the Cook Islands and Arab States in tourism and other areas. The importance placed by the Cook Islands in the development of its renewable energy potential, was of great interest to the Summit host, the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In his bilateral meeting with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE and chair of the Meeting, Mr Marurai stressed the Cook Islands’ interest in developing closer relations with the UAE.
“The Summit was an ideal opportunity to begin to develop relations between the Cook Islands and a part of the world with which we have not yet had many dealings, especially the UAE” explained the Prime Minister. “By taking that step, participating in the Joint Meeting and related smaller meetings, the Cook Islands will be well place to seek assistance in a wide range of areas, especially in the next few years in the development of our renewable energy sector,” he added.
Most of the costs of the Prime Minister’s participation in the Summit were met by the Government of Abu Dhabi.

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