Elizabeth Wright-Koteka
{{Infobox person
| name = Elizabeth Foster Wright-Koteka
| image = Elizabeth Foster Wright-Koteka 2019 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = in 2019
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| nationality = Cook Islander
| education = Victoria University of Wellington
| occupation = diplomat
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| known_for = High Commissioner to New Zealand
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Elizabeth Foster Wright-Koteka is a diplomat from the Cook Islands who represented her country in New Zealand.
Life
Elizabeth's father was Australian and her mother was from the island of Pukapuka. That island has had a population of less that a thousand since 1904.{{cite web |url=http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/documents/Statistics_Docs/5.Census-Surveys/6.Population-and-Dwelling_2016/2016_CENSUS_REPORT-FINAL.pdf |title=Cook Islands 2016 Census Main Report |date=2018 |access-date=19 August 2020 |publisher=Cook Islands Statistical Office |archive-date=31 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031062651/http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/documents/Statistics_Docs/5.Census-Surveys/6.Population-and-Dwelling_2016/2016_CENSUS_REPORT-FINAL.pdf |url-status=dead }} She went to the Victoria University of Wellington and graduated in 1991. In the following year she joined her county's foreign ministry. She can speak several of the island dialects of Maori as well as English, Rarotongan Māori and the language of Pukapukan. She argues that her country's language is important for its cultural identity.{{Cite news |date=July 2019 |title=Cook Islands language central to cultural identity |url=https://www.mpp.govt.nz/news-and-events/2019/cook-islands-reo-central-to-cultural-identity/}}
She worked in the prime minister Henry Puna's office as chief of staff and for two years she was the energy commissioner. A delegation including prime minister, his wife Akaiti Puna, and her as his chief of staff attended the first India-Forum for Pacific Island Countries (FIPIC) Summit in Suva, Fiji, in November 2014 hosted by Prime Minister Modi.{{cite web|last1=Pratibha|first1=Jyoti|title=Samoa PM Coming Here|url=http://fijisun.com.fj/2014/11/17/samoa-pm-coming-here/|website=Fiji Sun|access-date=17 April 2017|location=Suva|date=17 November 2014}}{{cite web|title=Second Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit held in Jaipur|url=http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/second-forum-for-indiapacific-islands-cooperation-fipic-summit-held-in-jaipur-1440570425-1|website=Jagran Josh|access-date=16 April 2017|date=26 January 2015}}
She was her country's high commissioner to New Zealand from 2018 {{Cite web |date=2020-08-18 |title=Wright-Koteka new High Commissioner |url=https://www.cookislandsnews.com/politics/wright-koteka-new-high-commissioner/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Cook Islands News |language=en}} where the majority of people from Cook Islands now live. In 2019 she presented her credentials.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-31 |title=Credentials Ceremony, 31 January 2019, morning {{!}} The Governor-General of New Zealand |url=https://gg.govt.nz/governor-general/blog/2019/01/credentials-ceremony-31-january-2019-morning |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=gg.govt.nz |language=en}} She has spoken up for the languages of the Pacific. There are about sixty thousand Cook Islanders in New Zealand but only about 12% speak a language of their heritage. She argued that the younger generation should take an interest and that eventually all Cook islanders, irrespective of where they live, would speak a Cook island language.
During the COVID-19 pandemic she had been based in New Zealand as the Cook Islands High Commissioner. She had worked, in Wellington, to assist the island's response to the pandemic. In October 2022 the New Zealand Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta agreed the Hourua/Vaka Purua Statement of Partnership which is the basis of the relationship between the two countries. Wright-Koteka served as High Commissioner until the end of 2022 and she was succeeded by Kairangi Samuela in the following April.{{Cite news |date=24 April 2023 |title=Cook Islands High Commissioner To New Zealand Confirmed |url=https://mfai.gov.ck/news-updates/cook-islands-high-commissioner-new-zealand-confirmed |access-date=31 August 2024 |work=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration - Government of the Cook Islands}} In 2023 Wright-Koteka was appointed to be the Cook Islands cabinet to be the secretary for infrastructure. She replaced Tamarii Tutangata,{{Cite web |date=2023-02-02 |title=Wright-Koteka appointed ICI head |url=https://www.cookislandsnews.com/uncategorised/internal/national/politics/wright-koteka-appointed-ici-head/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Cook Islands News |language=en}} who had retired.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-01 |title=Official recognised for 50 years of public service |url=https://www.cookislandsnews.com/internal/national/local/official-recognised-for-50-years-of-public-service/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Cook Islands News |language=en}}
References
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Category:Cook Island diplomats
Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni
Category:High commissioners of the Cook Islands to New Zealand