We know there is no prosperity without security and that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the people of Tuvalu. Australia will continue to support Tuvalu's efforts to enable its people to continue to live and thrive in their homeland and retain Tuvaluans' deep, ancestral connections to the land and sea. We are expanding our security cooperation, deepening our economic partnership to respond to Tuvalu's needs more effectively and strengthen economic opportunities, and enhancing Tuvalu's resilience to all hazards.

Climate Change Adaptation

We are supporting the Government of Tuvalu's ambition to protect Tuvalu from the impacts of climate change through actions that strengthen the resilience of the people and natural ecosystems, as outlined in the National Climate Change Policy and Te Kete. Under the United Nations Secretary-General's Adaptation Pipeline Accelerator initiative, Australia is partnering with Tuvalu to advance their Long-Term Adaptation Program (L-TAP). L-TAP is designed to provide a long-term climate solution for Tuvalu's residents by reclaiming land and gradually relocating people and infrastructure to safe land. Australia is funding the initial scoping and feasibility to scope and sequence works. Since the estimated funding required for L-TAP is beyond the capacity of any single partner to meet on its own, we will also work with Tuvalu to identify opportunities for partners to fund further work, including through regional and global climate finance mechanisms.

This work builds on the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Program (TCAP), to which Australia is the largest bilateral contributor. TCAP will expand land in Funafuti to help address issues of overcrowding and limited space for key infrastructure. The new land will also provide a barrier to protect existing land and buildings from sea level rise and is critical to protect the lives, livelihoods and culture of Tuvaluans in the face of climate change.

Food Security and Health

Atoll countries such as Tuvalu are faced with several challenges that make growing food difficult, which affects health and food security. Climate change is expected to compound these challenges. Australia is supporting the production of nutritious vegetables and fruit using climate-resilient technology and agricultural methods, with an emphasis on local knowledge and community-based solutions. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research is also working with Tuvaluan experts and an Australian university to examine research priorities for Tuvalu to increase food security.

Economic Resilience

Australia has a long partnership with Tuvalu to support its macroeconomic stability. This assistance is focused on general budget support and annual contributions to the Tuvalu Trust Fund. Reflecting our enhanced partnership, we will expand our support in this critical area in 2025 through the Te Ao Program (the Tuvalu–Australia Partnership for Economic Governance). The program ensures Australia is Tuvalu's economic partner of choice and can collaborate on delivering government services, supporting key economic and fiscal reforms, and building public financial management capacity. General budget support, trust fund contributions and providing relevant technical expertise will be key elements of this program.

Regional Security Cooperation

The Pacific Fusion Centre and the Pacific Security College will continue to enhance information sharing, cooperation, analysis and assessment, and enhance the capacity of Tuvaluan security officials. Australia will continue to support the Tuvalu Police Service to ensure the safety and security of Tuvaluans through a range of regional policing programs, including the Pacific Policing Initiative and Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police programs.

To support the implementation of the mobility pathway, the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Passport Office will work with Tuvalu to ensure that its immigration, passport, citizenship and border controls are robust and meet international standards for integrity and security, and that they are compatible with Australia. Recognising the importance of protecting Tuvalu's critical maritime resources, Australia will continue our longstanding cooperation through the Pacific Maritime Security Program.

At Tuvalu's request, we will fund construction of a new National Security Coordination Centre. This will facilitate closer security engagement and enable Australia to deliver on its security commitments, including enhancing our cooperation on disaster response and supporting the Government of Tuvalu's coordination.

Natural Disasters

Australia is committed to assisting Tuvalu in response to major natural disasters. We will continue to work with Tuvalu to reduce the risk of disasters for all Tuvaluans, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, and to have the right tools, skills and training to be ready to respond in Funafuti and on outer island communities. We are investigating opportunities to provide further support to partners such as the Tuvalu Red Cross Society and the Australian Humanitarian Partnership.