Political status of the Cook Islands and Niue

Moreover, the Secretary General of the United Nations has determined that the admission of the Cook Islands and Niue into the World Health Assembly means that they have been accepted as states by the international community.

[16] The Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs records that in 1988 "New Zealand stated that its future participation in international agreements would no longer extend to" Niue and the Cook Islands.

In September 2022, the United States announced its recognition of the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states during President Biden's Summit with Pacific Islands Countries (PIC) Leaders in Washington, D.C.[18] In September 2023, recognition was declared and diplomatic relations were established.

[116] As of 2014, The World Factbook listed the Cook Islands as a "self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand".

[118][119] In September 2022, the United States announced its intention to recognise the Cook Islands as a sovereign state during President Biden's Summit with Pacific Islands Countries (PIC) Leaders in Washington, D.C.[120][18] In September 2023, recognition was declared and diplomatic relations were established.

It should also be noted, however, that there exist a number of instances of non-independent entities being permitted to participate in international organizations, though this almost only occurs in cases of associate statehood.Israel established diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands in April 2008 and with Niue on 3 August 2023.

[49][132] On 11 June 2001, Helen Clark and Terepai Maoate signed an agreement establishing diplomatic relations between the Cook Islands and New Zealand.

[134] New Zealand believes that if the Cook Islands were to become a sovereign state, an independence referendum and constitutional change would occur.

[135] While their respective relationships with New Zealand, as well as their small size, make them rather unusual states, it has been argued that their status is far from unique.

According to Zbigniew Dumienski, both the Cook Islands and Niue can be seen as microstates, which are defined as: "modern protected states, i.e. sovereign states that have been able to unilaterally depute certain attributes of sovereignty to larger powers in exchange for benign protection of their political and economic viability against their geographic or demographic constraints."

Both the Cook Islands and Niue, as well as such states as Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, San Marino, and Vatican City, fit into this definition of microstates.