US to recognize Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states 

A great deal of the history of our world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years and decades, President Joe Biden said at US-Pacific Island Country Summit, Report informs, quoting from White House.

According to him, the Pacific Islands are a critical voice in shaping that future: “And that’s why my administration has made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with your countries and with the Pacific Islands Forum. And I’m proud to announce that, following appropriate consultations, we will recognize the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states.”

“The sacrifices we made together, the partnerships between our — among our peoples helped bring an end to the bloody war in the Pacific during World War Two,” the President added. “Today, security in the Pacific and for the Pacific Islanders remains as critical as ever to us, and I hope to you as well. To secure — the security of America, quite frankly, and the world depends on your security and the security of the Pacific Islands.”