Press Releases
Looking for more press releases? Explore our full press release archive by date to access past announcements, news updates, and media releases published on Cook Islands Political Dispatch.

Visitor Spending Increased in February 2025
Posted on Mar 27, 2025 in News For Immediate Release: March 27, 2025 HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 240,525 total visitors in Hawaii on any given...

SIX VILLAGES IN SAVAII RECEIVE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY-LED ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
[PRESS RELEASE Apia, SAMOA 01 April 2025] – The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) is once again supporting local communities who are at great risk from climate change due to their fragile ecosystems. Community-based...

Highlights from the People, Planet, Prosperity Project Country Pilots: Philippines and Sri Lanka
Description As part of the People, Planet, Prosperity Project (3Ps), ADB worked with the Stanford University’s Natural Capital Project to co-develop natural capital approaches in ADB member countries to directly inform policy and investment...

Tourism Off to a Positive Start for 2025
Posted on Feb 27, 2025 in News For Immediate Release: February 27, 2025 HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 792,177 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in...

Visitor Industry Continued Improvement in December 2024
Posted on Jan 30, 2025 in News For Immediate Release: January 30, 2025 HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 910,055 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in...

New Caledonia scoops 2024 Pacific Invasive Species Battler of the Year Award
15 August 2024, Rarotonga, Cook Islands - Mr. Patrick Barrière, Coordinator of the Threats Unit at the New Caledonian Biodiversity Agency (ANCB), has been honoured as the 2024 Pacific Invasive Species Battler of the Year. This accolade was...

Pacific Invasive Species Battlers Embrace GEDSI and Traditional Knowledge
14 August 2024, Rarotonga, Cook Islands - Regional participants attending the sixth Pacific Invasive Learning Network (PILN) meeting reaffirmed the importance of applying Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) and traditional...

Ocean Dialogue unites voices on collaborative action for shared ocean priorities
Partnerships must become the norm, not the exception. This was emphasised at the Ocean Dialogue convened during the inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit (GNPS) held in Sydney, Australia this week. The dialogue brought together First Nations...

Visitor Industry Recorded Fourth Consecutive Year-over-Year Growth in November 2024
Posted on Dec 31, 2024 in News For Immediate Release: December 31, 2024 HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 770,940 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in...

Official Keynote Address for the Seventh Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-7) Director General, SPREP
Opening Salutations: Pastor Thomsom Aki, Vice Chairman of the Vanuatu Christian Council. Honorable John Dahmasing Salong, Minister responsible for the Ministry of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards, Environment, Energy and...

SPREP’s Fourth Executive Board Meeting ends on a high
Island and Ocean Ecosystems Climate Change Resilience Environmental Monitoring and Governance Waste Management and Pollution Control General News 6 September 2024, Apia Samoa - The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme’s...

Remarks by Chargé d’Affaires Daniel Tarapacki at the Welcome Reception, U.S. Embassy Residence
SAMOA, September 11 - (September 12, 2024) Faafetai Chaplain Lt Col (Todd) Brown for the thoughtful word of encouragement. Your Highnesses, Head of State and Masiofo Your Excellency, Council of Deputies and your good lady Honorable Deputy Prime...

Fourth SPREP Executive Board Meeting opens in Samoa
Island and Ocean Ecosystems Climate Change Resilience Environmental Monitoring and Governance Waste Management and Pollution Control General News 4 September 2024, Apia Samoa – The crucial role played by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional...

Protecting Sharks and Rays in Pacific Islands waters
Main image credit: Luke Gordon A recent assessment using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species indicated that more than one-third of sharks, rays, and chimaeras are threatened with extinction....

DPM Tovosia pledges to push Pacific Water agenda at PIFs in 2025
DPM Tovosia pledges to push Pacific Water agenda at PIFs in 2025 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification, Bradley Tovosia last week vowed to push the “Pacific Water and Waste Water (PWWW) Agenda” at the...

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL PREPARED REMARKS FOR PRESS ENCOUNTER AT UN HOUSE
Apia, Samoa 23rd August 2024 Talofa, I thank the government and people of Samoa for their warm welcome and exceptional hospitality. It is a privilege to visit this beautiful island. To experience its rich culture. And to witness both its immense...

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL PREPARED REMARKS FOR PRESS ENCOUNTER AT UN HOUSE
SAMOA, August 22 - Apia, Samoa 23rd August 2024 Talofa, I thank the government and people of Samoa for their warm welcome and exceptional hospitality. It is a privilege to visit this beautiful island. To experience its rich culture. And to witness...

Samoa Hands Over New Wing of One UN House to UN During Secretary-General Guterres’ Visit
24 August, 2024 – The Government of Samoa officially handed over the new wing of the One UN House at Tuanaimato to the United Nations on Friday, to coincide with the visit to the country by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. The United...

Official Address by Sefanaia Nawadra, Director General SPREP, 4th Clean Pacific Roundtable 2024, 5-9 August, 2024, Funafuti, Tuvalu
Clean Environment, Resilient Ocean and Healthy Communities. Pastor Fitilau Puapua, President of Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu.Honourable Feleti Penitala Teó, Prime Minister, Tuvalu. Distinguished representatives, Development Partners, Waste and...

Visitor Industry Continued Improvement in October 2024
Posted on Nov 27, 2024 in News For Immediate Release: November 27, 2024 HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 774,617 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in...