Tuvalu

New Zealand and Tuvalu share a respectful relationship founded upon sovereign equality and a spirit of close friendship.

Our engagement centres on climate change, immigration and health challenges, and our cooperation in regional and multilateral fora on common issues.

In 2019, New Zealand and Tuvalu signed a Statement of Partnership acknowledging the enduring bonds between our countries. This Statement affirms out shared commitment to human rights, acknowledges principles to deepen our partnership, and identifies our priority focus areas.

Development cooperation and sustainability

Tuvalu faces a number of challenges. It is remote, with few natural resources and significant rates of poverty. With an average elevation of 1.83m above sea level, it is also one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Delivering public services, including healthcare and education, is costly for the Government because of Tuvalu’s small, dispersed population and geography.

New Zealand is a key development partner for Tuvalu, focusing on strengthening Tuvalu’s resilience and preparedness to face the impacts of climate change; supporting a strong, well-managed economy and public service; and deepening our connections.

The latest information on our development cooperation activities, including activity details and descriptions, start and end dates, geographic and sectoral focus, expenditure figures, is available at DevData(external link).

People and culture

Our whanaungatanga (close connection) with Tuvalu is important as New Zealand is home to the largest community of Tuvaluans outside the Pacific islands.

Education serves as an important area of connection. The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme(external link) provides tertiary and short-term training scholarships to Tuvalu scholars.

Tuvaluans can participate in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme(external link), which creates mutual benefit for New Zealand's horticulture sector and for the workers’ families and communities.

Each year, a number of Tuvalu citizens are granted New Zealand residency through the Pacific Access Category visa(external link).

Trade and investment

Like many Pacific countries, Tuvalu has a narrow economic base. The fisheries sector contributes a significant portion of government revenue, with other revenue sources including sovereign wealth contracts and donor aid. Remittances are an important contributor to Tuvalu’s economy.

Interisland ferries are a lifeline for its communities, maintaining supply chains and enabling people to travel. Tuvalu only has one airport and one international air link (Fiji), which significantly limits the flow of goods and people into the country.

Trade in goods between New Zealand and Tuvalu is modest.

Both New Zealand and Tuvalu have ratified the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER Plus)  which entered into force on 13 December 2020.

The latest information about New Zealand's trade profile with Tuvalu is available on the New Zealand Trade Dashboard(external link).

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