The Cook Islands Government has wrapped up a national diaspora consultation tour in Sydney, Queensland, and Melbourne, connecting with Cook Islanders living in Australia through open and honest dialogue.
Read MoreYou can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
Three staff from the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) were among 22 international participants who recently took part in the third knowledge transfer training workshop organised and fully funded by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the Government of China.
Held in Qingdao from 23–27 April 2025 under the ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre (JTRC), the training workshop focused on the science and tools needed to protect deep-sea environments through Regional Environmental Management Plans (REMPs).
Read MoreThe Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) recently participated in the first of its kind Ministerial Talanoa on Deep Sea Minerals (DSM), convened by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, from 18 to 21 February 2025.
The Talanoa brought together Pacific Island Forum leaders, ministers and senior officials, and regional and international stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of DSM development and governance in the Pacific.
Read MoreCook Islands Prime Minister and former chair of the Forum, Mark Brown is urging Pacific Island leaders to come together on a collective stance on deep-sea mining, ahead of a key talanoa session set for next month.
Read MoreThe International Seabed Authority “ISA at 30” programme has awarded a significant grant to a Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) led proposal, Women in Scientific Expedition (WISE). This award is a testament to the Cook Islands’ growing role in global ocean governance and its commitment to advancing deep-sea research and empowering women in science.
Read More“As Cook Islanders and Pacific peoples, we have an imbedded culture of conservation and environmental management over our land and sea. This has enabled us to sustainably use our marine resources while also ensuring its protection. We have been doing this for centuries. We are conservationists.” This was the message Prime Minister Mark Brown conveyed during his recent attendance at the Our Ocean conference held in Athens, Greece.
Read More“You cannot manage what you cannot measure” said Prime Minister Mark Brown at the Ocean Decade Conference held in Barcelona, Spain from 10-12 April themed 'The science we need for the ocean we want'.
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