Mark Brown, 12th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, has made 18 international trips to numerous countries during his premiership, which began on 1 October 2020.
Summary The number of visits per country where Prime Minister Brown travelled are: One visit to Australia, Fiji, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Tonga, Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom Two visits to China Three visits to New Zealand Four visits to the United States
2022 Country Location Date Details Image1London17 SeptemberBrown signed the book of condolence for Queen Elizabeth II.2Washington, D.C.28–29 SeptemberAttended the United States–Pacific Island Country Summit at White House.
2023 Country Location Date Details Image1Hiroshima18–21 MayBrown travelled to Hiroshima to attend the G7 summit.Port Moresby22 MayBrown attended a US-Pacific Summit and held bilateral meetings with New Zealander Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.2Seoul29–30 MayAttended the Korea–Pacific Islands Summit.3Jakarta6-7 SeptemberAttended the Eighteenth East Asia Summit.4Washington, D. C.25 SeptemberAttended the US–Pacific Island Country Summit.5Bonn2–5 OctoberBrown attended the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Pledging Conference in Bonn, which sought to secure funding for climate action in developing countries. The visit followed his attendance at the Underwater Minerals Conference in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
2024 Country Location Date Details1Nuku'alofa, Vava'u28–29 AugustBrown attended the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.
2025 Country Location Date Details1Harbin10–14 FebruaryBrown discusses marine, climate and economics during his visit.https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/cook-islands-prime-minister-discusses-marine-climate-economics-china-visit-2025-02-12/ Met with Premier Li Qiang.https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3298583/china-ready-depth-talks-premier-li-qiang-set-meet-cook-islands-leader2Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Melbourne29 May – 6 JuneBrown led an 11-member national delegation to Australia from May 29 to June 6. The tour included a series of high-level diaspora and policy consultations across several major cities, including Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Melbourne. The primary focus of the visit was to conduct public dialogues regarding the Cook Islands' exploratory seabed minerals strategy, emphasizing environmental stewardship, regulatory frameworks, and scientific research.3Honiara7–12 SeptemberBrown attended the 54th Pacific Islands Forum meeting.https://www.pmoffice.gov.ck/2025/09/05/cook-islands-to-attend-54th-pacific-islands-forum-leaders-meeting-in-honiara/
2026 Country Location Date Details1Honolulu22–23 FebruaryBrown travelled to Honolulu to attend the Pacific Agenda: Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit, an invitation-only forum focused on investment, security and economic development in the Pacific.2Wellington, Auckland, Ngāruawāhia16–23 MarchBrown undertook a week-long visit to New Zealand focused on relations with the Cook Islands diaspora and the Cook Islands–New Zealand relationship. In Wellington, he delivered a speech marking the 60th anniversary of Cook Islands self-government. He subsequently travelled to Auckland and Ngāruawāhia, where he met with Cook Islanders and attended the 130th Tūrangawaewae Royal Regatta.3Wellington2 AprilBrown met with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Wellington, where the two governments signed a defence and security declaration aimed at resolving disagreements over the Cook Islands' foreign-policy arrangements with China. The declaration reaffirmed New Zealand as the Cook Islands' partner of choice on defence and security matters.4Wuzhou26–28 MayBrown travelled to Wuzhou for the inauguration of the MV Tuitui Moana, a new inter-island vessel co-funded by the Cook Islands and China. The visit also included high-level discussions on bilateral cooperation and engagement with provincial authorities in Guangxi.5Auckland28 AugustBrown attended the inaugural Realm Leaders' Meeting at Government House in Auckland alongside the leaders of New Zealand, Niue and Tokelau. The meeting was held en route to the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau.6Koror31 August–3 SeptemberBrown led the Cook Islands delegation to the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. The meeting included discussions on regional security, climate change, maritime issues and economic development. The Cook Islands, New Zealand and the United States also announced funding for an upgrade to the port at Penrhyn (Tongareva).
Multilateral meetings Group Year2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026PIF 6 August, Suva 11–14 July, Suva 6–10 November, Rarotonga 26–30 August, Nuku'alofa 8–12 September, Honiara 31 August–3 September, Koror██ = Future event ██ = Did not attendparticipate.Mark Brown pulled out to focus on the election.
References