Ecuador establishes diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands to strengthen the fishing industry

Ecuador has established diplomatic relations with the government of the Cook Islands, a South Pacific nation with diplomatic representation in New Zealand. This strategic move will bolster Ecuador's presence in a region crucial to its fishing industry, trade, marine environmental protection, and participation in multilateral forums.

On May 21, 2024, Ecuador's Ambassador to Australia, Arturo Cabrera Hidalgo, and the High Commissioner of the Cook Islands in Wellington, New Zealand, Kairangi Samuela, signed a joint statement formalizing the establishment of diplomatic relations. Additionally, both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding to regulate fishing activity, particularly benefiting Ecuador's tuna fleet, the second largest in the South Pacific.

These achievements are significant for Ecuador as they meet a key requirement of the European Union to maintain access to the market for Ecuadorian fishery products. Acting as a delegate for the Minister of Production, Sonsoles García, Arturo Cabrera signed the Memorandum with the Minister of Fisheries of the Cook Islands, Pamela Maru.

Furthermore, over the past two years, Ecuador has successfully joined the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, based in Hobart, Australia, and has become an observer in the Multilateral Forum of the Pacific Islands, based in Suva, Fiji. Additionally, it is in negotiation to join the Central Western Pacific Fisheries Organization and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a pact anticipated to be the world's largest market, currently chaired by New Zealand.