McCully names new High Commissioner to Cook Islands

New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the Cook Islands will be career diplomat Linda Te Puni, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today.

“New Zealand and the Cook Islands have a particularly close and warm relationship, underpinned by extensive personal links, and by the special constitutional arrangements that cover the Cooks as a part of the Realm of New Zealand,” Mr McCully said.

“Our relationship includes mutual obligations arising from the sharing of a common citizenship.

“New Zealand takes these obligations seriously, and we are committed to refreshing contact at a political level. Prime Ministers John Key and Prime Minister Jim Marurai have agreed to set up a Joint Ministerial Forum, and the first meeting is expected later this year.

“The strength of the relationship was demonstrated following the cyclone that struck Aitutaki in February. As well as our immediate humanitarian response, including the deployment of Defence Force personnel, New Zealand provided a $5.5 million package to help with reconstruction efforts,” Mr McCully said.

Ms Te Puni, currently Acting High Commissioner in Rarotonga, was most recently Deputy Director of the Pacific Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She has previously served in Paris, Mexico City, Apia, Honiara, and Suva.

Ms Te Puni succeeds the late Tia Barrett as High Commissioner.

ENDS

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