“Alongside Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has announced the US$60 million (NZ$101 million) port development on the atoll of Penrhyn – once home to a World War II military base.”
“In an exclusive interview with 1News, Peters called the partnership to build the major port a ‘landmark decision’, describing it as ‘a seminal moment that we are back in the game looking after our part of the world’.”
“Washington is putting in US$50 million and New Zealand, which will manage the building of the port, US$10 million.”
“Penrhyn is of strategic interest to the United States because of its location – while it already has military bases on Guam and the Marshall Islands and interests in territory American Samoa, the northern Cook Islands atoll opens access to a different and valuable part of the Pacific.”
“It is also an international port of entry and its deep lagoon will allow in large vessels.”
“[…] New Zealand is responsible for the defence of the Cook Islands and, according to a recently signed Defence and Security Declaration, NZ’s military has access to the Cooks’ exclusive economic zone to ‘fulfil defence mandates and uphold shared security commitments’. The port investment could potentially provide military access.”