New Zealand's four Realm leaders are meeting in Auckland - what's on their minds?
Leaders from New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau are meeting in Auckland to discuss regional concerns ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum. Key topics include geopolitical competition, financial crises in fishing revenue, and rising fuel costs.
Why it matters
The meeting highlights the strategic importance of Pacific territories in the face of shifting global power dynamics between the US and China.
Analysis - The Realm of New Zealand's four leaders are meeting in Auckland on Friday morning for a chance for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to field their most pressing concerns.
The meeting is also an opportunity for the leaders - representing New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau - to put their heads together ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting in Palau next week.
The Cook Islands and Niue are independent states in all aspects apart from defence and security, for which New Zealand is responsible for assisting with. They also have equal citizenship rights to Kiwis under the Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964 and Niue Constitution Act 1974.
Their "free association" arrangements are unique in the world, only seen elsewhere in Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, which associate with the United States under their respective Compacts of Free Association.
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