Targeted Financial Sanctions
The risk of a terrorist attack in the Cook Islands is low, however the Government is determined that the Cook Islands and Cook Islanders become neither the target nor source of terrorist activities.
Targeted financial sanctions designated against entities is one measure that the Cook Islands is taking to contribute to the international campaign against terrorism. The Countering Terrorism and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act 2004 provides for a list of terrorist entities to be established and maintained in the Cook Islands. The Attorney General is responsible for coordinating requests to the Prime Minister for designation as a terrorist entity.
A designation under Cook Islands legislation automatically freezes the assets of designated entities and makes it a criminal offence to participate in or support the activities of these entities. This includes dealing with the property of a designated entity or making property or financial services available to the entity. Other support for terrorist or proliferation activities such as fundraising and recruiting or harbouring terrorists is a criminal offence whether a group is designated or not.
The Cook Island’s obligations to the United Nations
The Cook Islands has international counterterrorism obligations under a number of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.
Lists associated with Resolutions 1267/1989/2253 and 1988
The UNSC 1267/1989/2253 and 1988 Committees specifically obliges the Cook Islands to take action against those terrorist entities it lists. These UNSC-listed entities (ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and organisations) are included as designated terrorist entities in the CTPA.
More information on these entities are available on Lists associated with Resolutions 1267/1989/2253 and Lists associated with Resolution 1988.
Lists associated with Resolution 1373
UNSC Resolution 1373 obliges the Cook Islands to (among other things) outlaw the financing of, participation in and recruitment to, terrorist entities. The Resolution does not specifically identify those terrorist entities, which effectively leaves it to Member States to identify the entities against which they should act. There is currently no list of entities identified by the Cook Islands associated with Resolution 1373.
Lists associated with Resolution 1718
UNSC Resolution 1718 obliges the Cook Islands to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer to the DPRK, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of (among other things): arms and related material, items relevant to nuclear, ballistic missiles and other weapons of mass destruction. The UNSC provides a list of designated entities and individuals under Resolution 1718. More information on these entities are available on Lists associated with Resolution 1718.
Consolidated Sanctions List
A consolidated version of individuals and entities from UN Security Council Resolutions can be found here.
The UNSC webpage to search the consolidated list can be found here.
Removal from Sanctions List
Any individual or group listed by the United Nations may apply to remove their name from the list. A Cook Islands resident or citizen or any group whose members have Cook Islands citizenship or residency may submit a request for delisting through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Cook Islands or directly to the Office of the Ombudsperson.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
PO Box 105
Avarua, Rarotonga
Cook Islands
T +682 29347
F +682 21247
E secfa@cookislands.gov.ck
Office of the Ombudsperson
Room DC2-2206
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
United States of America
T +1 212 963 2671
E ombudsperson@un.org
For further information regarding an application for delisting please visit the website of the Office of the Ombudsperson of the Security Council’s 1267 Committee
