The Cook Islands and Mexico formalised diplomatic relations via an Exchange of Note Verbales on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration confirmed.

The
Exchange of Notes was done by Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand,
Kairangi Samuela, and Alfredo Pérez Bravo, Ambassador for the Embassy of Mexico
to New Zealand, and is the culmination of exchanges between representatives of
the two governments since 2017.

The
most recent bilateral discussions between the two governments were held between
the two countries missions based in Wellington earlier this month, with the
Cook Islands and Mexico having cooperated for a number of years within
multilateral fora, and the formalisation of diplomatic relations the next step
in cementing the bilateral relationship and enhancing cooperation.

“We
welcome the interest of Mexico in establishing diplomatic relations and
furthering cooperation with the Cook Islands in areas such as climate action,
seabed minerals development, green energy transition, agriculture, cultural and
people-to-people exchanges,” said Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
(MFAI), Tepaeru Herrmann.

MFAI officials will continue to work
with Mexico officials toward possible future bilateral cooperation and continue
to step up collaboration in the months ahead, with Mexico becoming the fifth
country to form diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands this year.