New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters arrived in the Cook Islands last night after a day in Tonga.

Accompanied by Dr Shane Reti, Minister for Health and Minister for Pacific Peoples, the pair are visiting to reaffirm connections between Aotearoa and the Cook Islands. 

They will visit New Zealand government funded Terevete Park (formerly known as Constitution Park) for a groundbreaking ceremony at 9:30am today. 

From there they will be in talks with Prime Minister Mark Brown, and host a media stand up and press release at the PM’s office around 12 noon.

Leader of the Opposition Tina Browne will have an opportunity to deliberate with the Ministers in the afternoon. 

Dr Reti is scheduled to visit Rarotonga Hospital where it is understood he will meet with health officials to discuss the impacts of Covid-19 in the Cook Islands and New Zealand's role in delivering on long-term health goals. 

This mission is Dr Reti’s first Pacific trip in the role of Minister for Pacific Peoples. 

From 5:30pm Peters and Reti will be hosted at a reception at the New Zealand High Commissioner’s Residence at Ngātipā.

Traveling by New Zealand Defence Force aircraft, the Ministers left Aotearoa after what Minister Peters described to the media delegation on board as a “roaring success” at Waitangi on the 6th of February NZ time, the 184th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

The delegation heads to Samoa next to meet with Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.