9 Oct 2019

Cook Islands confident of continued foreign aid

8:34 pm on 9 October 2019

The Cook Islands is confident of continued foreign aid despite reaching developed nation status.

Aerial landscape view of the beautiful Muri Lagoon and a Motu (Islet) in Rarotonga Island in the Cook Islands.

Photo: Rafael Ben-Ari/ 123RF

The country graduated to the OECD's "high income" category on 10 July.

Cook Islands News reported government economist Natalie Cooke projecting the impact would be "minimal".

The country is eligible for foreign development aid through to 1 January, 2020.

However, officials say some of the biggest aid donors - New Zealand, China and India - have committed to continue support.

New Zealand currently provides about two-thirds of the Cooks' Official Development Assistance.