Vaine Iriano Wichman

Revamping the Cook Islands Public Sector

Vaine Iriano Wichman

A 2001 report by the Australian Agency for International Development and the New Zealand Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade marked the beginning of efforts by both governments to increase their emphasis on aid harmonization in the Pacific. This was followed by a decision to pilot a cofunded program in the Cook Islands which is the subject of this case study. The case is presented through the eyes of Garth Henderson, the senior Cook Islands official responsible for aid management. This report describes how the Cook Islands government, through the aid harmonization process, enhanced its capacity for aid management while strengthening national ownership and forging a shared sense of direction by all stakeholders.