Tuvalu

New Zealand and Tuvalu share a warm, respectful, and enduring partnership, grounded in sovereign equality and close friendship.

Our cooperation is focused on shared priorities including:

•    Sustainable prosperity
•    Climate change adaptation and resilience
•    People-to-people connections and regional peace
•    Mobility and security
•    Collaboration in regional and multilateral forums on common issues

This relationship reflects our commitment to working together to support Tuvalu’s development aspirations and to address regional challenges through collective action.

Development cooperation and sustainability

Tuvalu faces a range of development challenges due to its remote location, limited natural resources, and high rates of poverty. With an average elevation of just 1.83 metres above sea level, Tuvalu is among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.

Delivering essential public services—such as healthcare and education—is particularly complex and costly for the Tuvaluan Government, given the country’s small, dispersed population and geographic isolation. These challenges are compounded by infrastructure limitations and capacity constraints across systems and the workforce.

New Zealand is a committed development partner to Tuvalu, working to:

•    Strengthen resilience and preparedness for climate change, such as the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project(external link)
•    Support a well-managed economy and effective public service delivery
•    Deepen people-to-people connections and regional cooperation

Tuvaluan scholars are eligible for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme(external link) which offers undergraduate and postgraduate tertiary scholarships, thematic short-term training, and vocational/professional short-term training. More information, including availability and application processes, are available here(external link).

For detailed information on our development cooperation activities—including project descriptions, timelines, sectoral and geographic focus, and expenditure data—please visit DevData(external link).

Trade and investment

Tuvalu has a narrow economic base, similar to many Pacific nations. The fisheries sector is a major contributor to government revenue, alongside income from sovereign wealth contracts, development assistance, and remittances from Tuvaluans living and working overseas.

Transport infrastructure plays a vital role in supporting Tuvalu’s economy and connectivity. Inter-island ferries are essential for maintaining supply chains and enabling community mobility. Tuvalu has only one airport and a single international air link—with Fiji—which significantly limits the movement of goods and people.

Trade in goods between New Zealand and Tuvalu remains modest. However, both countries are committed to strengthening regional economic integration through the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations(external link) (PACER Plus), which entered into force on 13 December 2020.

For the latest data on New Zealand’s trade profile with Tuvalu, please visit the New Zealand Trade Dashboard(external link).

People and culture

New Zealand is home to the largest Tuvaluan diaspora, reflecting the close and enduring ties between our two countries.

Tuvaluan citizens are eligible to participate in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme(external link), which provides valuable employment opportunities in New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture sectors. The scheme delivers mutual benefits—supporting New Zealand’s seasonal workforce needs while contributing to the livelihoods of workers’ families and communities in Tuvalu.

Each year, a number of Tuvaluan citizens are granted New Zealand residency through the Pacific Access Category visa(external link), further strengthening our people-to-people connections and supporting long-term settlement opportunities.

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