Cook Islands Sets Regional Benchmark With Uniquely Cook Islands Branding Program

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands —The Cook Islands has marked a historic milestone under the PACER Plus Agreement with the co-design of its groundbreaking Branding Program: Uniquely Cook Islands.

The initiative — the first of its kind in the Pacific — was validated through a day-long workshop that brought together artisans, entrepreneurs, cultural leaders, and government representatives. Designed to safeguard cultural knowledge and creativity, protect against counterfeiting, and strengthen global recognition, the program ensures that Cook Islands products and services are respected and trusted worldwide. It also fosters investment opportunities, including through the diaspora, particularly in the cultural and creative industries.

Through its Certification Mark and Tokens, Uniquely Cook Islands will make authenticity visible, give buyers confidence, and future-proof the culture, customs, and traditions of the islands. It also directly advances the Cook Islands Government’s National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS), linking cultural protection with inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

“This is not just a certification mark; it is a national commitment to honouring who we are as a people,” said Repeta Puna, CEO of the Business Trade & Investment Board (BTIB). “By designing this program together, with voices from Rarotonga, the Pa Enua, and our diaspora, we are setting a global standard for best practice in cultural integrity and sustainable trade.”

The Uniquely Cook Islands Certification Program is built on three pillars:

1. Protect: Safeguard cultural intellectual property and prevent misuse of traditional designs, language, and stories.
2. Participate: Enable small and micro-businesses, particularly artisans and those in the outer islands, to participate in trade on fair and transparent terms.
3. Prosper: Unlock economic value at home and abroad, ensuring the Cook Islands’ reputation for authenticity strengthens in global markets.

Highlighting the broader significance of the program, Dr Alisi Kautoke Holani, PACER Plus Trade in Services and Investment Lead, noted: “For artisans and cultural practitioners, the program provides recognition and pricing power that reflects their skill and heritage. For entrepreneurs and innovators, it offers a pathway to sustainable growth while proudly carrying the Cook Islands name. For the Cook Islands diaspora, it establishes a channel to contribute to the homeland’s cultural and economic advancement.”

With strong interest already expressed by local businesses and cultural leaders, the program is now entering its final co-design stages before launch. The Cook Islands is poised to set an inspiring regional and global benchmark in protecting and promoting cultural identity through trade.

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