Cook Islands Strike Deep-Sea Minerals Deal With US Following China Pact

The Cook Islands, rich in polymetallic nodules containing cobalt, nickel, manganese, and other critical minerals, has signed an agreement with the United States to cooperatively explore and responsibly develop its seabed mineral resources. This partnership, announced during the Cook Islands' 60th anniversary of self-government, aims to promote scientific advancement, economic self-reliance, and environmental stewardship in the region. The U.S. State Department emphasized the minerals' importance for current and future technology, including military applications. The Cook Islands had earlier signed a similar pact with China, intensifying international interest and geopolitical competition over these valuable underwater deposits. New Zealand, the Cook Islands' former colonial ruler and a key U.S. ally, expressed displeasure over being excluded from these agreements. While exploration is advanced, commercial mining has yet to begin, with both Washington and Beijing keen to expand influence in Oceania through these emerging deep-sea mining opportunities.