Sydney, Nov. 10, (dpa/GNA) – Residents of the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu, which is threatened by rising sea levels, will be given the chance to resettle in Australia as part of a new treaty between the two countries announced on Friday.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed the bilateral agreement at the Pacific Islands Forum in Cook Islands.
“We believe the people of Tuvalu deserve the choice to live, study and work elsewhere, as climate change impacts worsen,” a joint statement by Albanese and Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Kausea Natano said.
“Australia has committed to provide a special pathway for citizens of Tuvalu to come to Australia, with access to Australian services that will enable human mobility with dignity.”
Tuvalu, some 3,700 kilometres north of New Zealand, has a permanent population of about 11,000 people. The island group is the world’s second lowest-lying country, sitting less than 5 metres above sea level.
“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 peoples of Tuvalu,” the joint statement said.
“Australia will support Tuvalu’s efforts to enable its people to continue to live and thrive in their territory and retain Tuvalu’s deep, ancestral connections to land and sea.”
Under the agreement, 280 Tuvaluans a year will be given access to a special visa, local media reported.
GNA