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National Hepor!.s to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) were prepared under the direction of the National Task Forces in 12 Pacific island countries with the financial and technical assistance of the Asian Development Bank and United Nations Development Programme. This assistance was coordinated by Gerald Miles through the South Pacific Regional Environment Programmll (SPREP). For the Cook Islands, this report was drafted by Teariki Rongo and Bob Thistlethwaite, ane! endorsed by their government for presentation to the United Nations.

The Cook Islands is made up of 15 islands spread out over an exclusive economic zone of approximately two million square kilometres (750,000 square miles) in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Two of these islands are uninhabited. Total land area is just under 240 square kilometres with Rarotonga the center of Government and commerce representing just over 28 percent of the total.

In summarizing the content of this report, a small proportion of the lands of the Cook Islands, less than 30%. is affected by activities carried out in the Cook Islands. This area of land is mainly on the main island of Rarotonga. Much of the natural environment described, which is very special to the continued existence and sustainable development of the scattered islands of the Cook Islands, is at the mercy of global events. To contribute to the efforts of countries to combat land degradation, and to address the global issues, this repent provided a list of future initiatives that the Government intends to carry through in order to address the various land degradation challenges identified in this report and summarized in the table below.

The purpose of the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) is to provide, on the basis of an analysis of the political, economic and social situation of the country, a response strategy for EC support under the 9th EDF. The Cook Islands is located at approximately 3,500 km north-east of New Zealand. The country consists of two groups of islands - 13 inhabited and two uninhabited - extending over 2 million km² of ocean. The North Cook Islands are atolls, the South Cook Islands are volcanic and comparatively fertile. The country has a land area of 237 km² and an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1,830,000 km². The GDP per capita in 1999 was 3,282.

The Cook Islands has already achieved the targeted two third reduction of under 5 year olds mortality rate from 26 per 1000 live births in 1991 to 7.7 in 2001. The infant mortality rate dropped from 31.3 infants per 1000 live births in 1991 to 9.8 in 2001.Whilst the maternal health indicators for Cook Islands women were rated amongst the best in the region, there remain some worrying statistics. Teenage pregnancies had been on the increase in the past with a quarter of childbearing women reportedly having children during their teenage years. In general, key health issues affecting mothers and women include the relatively high incidences of cervical and breast cancers, and increasing prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCDs) such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, circulatory illnesses and their complications resulting from changing lifestyles of the Cook Islands population. NCD’s are now the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the adult Cook Islands population.There are no officially recorded cases of HIV/AIDS in the Cook Islands although there are 2 resident HIV/AIDS cases (one male, one female) in the Cook Islands. Prevention and awareness raising programmes on the modes of transmission and risks of HIV/AIDS in the Cook Islands need to be maintained and further strengthened.

This report replicates as well addressed new issues not covered by the WSSD National Assessment Report (NAR). In light of this statement, we would like to acknowledge Mr. Edward Drollett and Mrs. Helen Wong, the National WSSD Working Committee, the WSSD National Forum representatives, our national leaders, government departments, private and business sectors, community groups, other non-government organisations and individuals consulted, the staff of the Office of the Prime Minister for their contributions and hard work in developing the WSSD NAR and this report.

The preparation of the Cook Islands Initial National Communication was funded by the Global Environment Fund Climate Change Enabling Activity through the Pacific Islands Climate Change Assistance Programme (PICCAP).