Australia: Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for the Pacific, told parliament that Tuvalu’s new administration has decided not to alter the security and climate migration agreement, thus Australia and Tuvalu will proceed with it.
The agreement, which the two nations had announced in November, was called into question amid an election campaign in the isolated, 11,000-person Pacific archipelago that faces sea level rise.
Amid a geopolitical struggle for power in the South Pacific, Feleti Teo elected prime minister in February following a general election that closely observed by Taiwan, China, the US, and Australia. After Nauru severed relations with Taiwan in February and moved to Beijing, Tuvalu is one of Taiwan’s three surviving friends in the Pacific.
In parliament on Tuesday, Conroy presented the agreement for ratification and stated, “The new government of Tuvalu has confirmed its desire to proceed with the Falepili Union.” He said that Australia would cooperate closely with Tuvalu to guarantee the latter’s sovereignty upheld.
“Australia pledges to support Tuvalu in the event of a significant natural disaster, pandemic, or military assault. This is based on Tuvalu’s request for this kind of support.
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According to him, Tuvalu and Australia would mutually agree on any third-party security or defence agreements.
The treaty recognizes that Tuvalu will remain a sovereign nation even if sea level rise brought on by climate change submerges its territory, and also permits 280 individuals to migrate from Tuvalu to Australia annually.
Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, said it was “the most significant agreement between Australia and one of its Pacific partners since the agreements for Papua New Guinea’s independence in 1975”.
