Population figures
Total country population
0
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
0
Asylum-seekers:
0
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
The Cook Islands is a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand, located in the South Pacific Ocean. It comprises 15 islands spread across a vast maritime area, with neighboring countries including Niue to the east, French Polynesia to the northeast, and Tonga to the west.
The Cook Islands is not a party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol. Consequently, there is no formal status determination procedure established under international refugee law. However, the Cook Islands has implemented domestic legislation to manage immigration matters. The Immigration Act 2021 outlines provisions for the entry, stay, and removal of non-citizens. While this Act states that unsuccessful asylum seekers, refugees, or stateless persons are considered individuals without "continuing rights" and may receive assistance to return to their country of nationality, it does not contain specific provisions addressing the status or rights of refugees or stateless persons within the Cook Islands.
...Regarding statelessness, the Cook Islands has not acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. This absence of formal commitment to international statelessness instruments means there is no dedicated legal mechanism to identify or protect stateless individuals within the country.
While the Cook Islands does not currently face significant challenges related to refugees or stateless persons, the existing legal frameworks could be further developed to address potential future scenarios involving forced displacement or statelessness. While the Cook Islands is not a signatory to key international conventions on refugees and stateless persons, it has established frameworks within its Immigration Act 2021 to manage immigration and address related issues, regulating entry and stay through national legislation.
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Sources: UNHCR Refugee Data finder https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/ | 2023 year end figures. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects 2022, Online Edition https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/ | Mid-year 2024 population estimates