Australia Signs Historic Climate Refuge Pact With Tuvalu
TimeJUL 2023
Australia: Tuvalu Accepts Climate Migration and Security Agreement
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The Spin
Narrative A
The Falepili Union is a historic agreement. Both Tuvalu and Australia benefit. On one hand, it will allow Tuvaluans to migrate gradually and with dignity, as the Pacific Island nation is at risk of disappearing due to climate change. On the other hand, this three-part integration initiative marks a significant victory for Canberra in its efforts to keep Beijing at bay in the region.
Narrative B
Australia has long been the bully in the South Pacific, acting as the manager of the US in what they perceive as the country's backyard and treating island nations as vassal states with a colonialist mentality. This treaty with Tuvalu is just the latest attempt to protect its hegemonic system while more constructive actors in a multipolar world, like China, seek to ramp up cooperation and economic exchange in Oceania.