Australia Strengthens Security Ties with Tuvalu Amid Criticisms

While two kangaroos engaged in a physical altercation in a camp setting, causing onlookers to keep their distance, Australia announced a new security agreement with Tuvalu on May 9, 2024. This agreement came following criticisms of an earlier pact, which reportedly granted Australia a veto power over any agreements Tuvalu might pursue with third countries like China. The updated memorandum of understanding resolved the sovereignty concerns of Tuvalu’s democratically elected government, headed by Prime Minister Feleti Teo, who stated that the security guarantee provided by the agreement was unique and significant. Previously, in November 2023, former Prime Minister Kausea Natano had signed an agreement with Australia that aimed to provide a means of escape for Tuvaluan citizens facing the risks of rising sea levels and heightened storms, which affect the nation’s network of low-lying atolls located roughly halfway between Australia and Hawaii. Under this arrangement, Australia pledged to accept up to 280 Tuvaluans annually and assist the nation in responding to major natural disasters, epidemics, and military hostility. The new deal also contained clauses granting Australia a veto power over any security or defense-related negotiations Tuvalu may undertake with other parties, such as China. However, Meg Keen, Director of the Pacific Island Program at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based research organization focusing on international affairs, claimed that the updated agreement did not significantly differ from the previous one. According to Keen, Teo is assured that provisions relating to the veto of third-party deals do not infringe upon Tuvalu’s sovereignty but instead promote effective responsiveness/collaboration and interoperability during emergency situations. In addition, she stated that there was a provision allowing either party to pull out of the deal if they felt that the arrangement was not being observed. On May 9, 2024, Australia declared a financial commitment worth over $72 million towards Tuvalu’s essential initiatives, including $33 million to construct the island nation’s initial submarine communications link. This development forms part of a broader effort by the United States and its partners to counter China’s growing influence in the South Pacific region, particularly in matters of safety. During the January elections, debates around whether Tuvalu should switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Beijing surfaced. During an international media interview held in March 2024, shortly after assuming leadership, Teo affirmed that his administration would continue to endorse diplomatic connections with self-ruling Taiwan, which China regards as part of its territory.