Page 12 - IB April 2022

Tuvalu

FUTURE NOW

PREPARING TODAY TO SECURE TOMORROW

By Samantha Magick

Tuvalu’s Minister for Justice, Communications and Foreign
Affairs has laid out a vision for Tuvalu in the event the country
is “fully submerged or people are forced to relocate”.
“Following the outcomes from COP26 [the global climate
change conference], I think the trajectory that we’re on at
this time is we’re heading for a worst-case scenario. So it’s
important that we have a plan,” Simon Kofe said during a
public lecture at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva
this month.
“The leadership mindset behind this project is one where
we help ourselves as much as we try to advocate for bigger
countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. We must
not invest all our energy and efforts into that,” he said.
‘Future Now’ is organised under four major initiatives:
Tuvaluan values, statehood, digital nationhood and climate
advocacy. Tuvalu’s Minister for Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs, Simon Kofe.
Photo: PIFS
Bringing Tuvaluan values to the world picture. And the bigger picture is you and me, it’s our people,
As with most Pacific Island nations, Tuvalu is a community- it’s our future generations, it’s our grandchildren, being able
based society, Kofe said. The incorporation of Tuvaluan values to live in a safe environment.”
(and by extension, Pacific values) in ‘Future Now’, seeks to
build on this strength, and “elevate what we already have”. Towards a new understanding of ‘Statehood’
Kofe believes the world needs these “time-tested” values— Tuvalu is also looking at how it can secure its statehood,
and leaders need to broaden their perceptions of collective even if its land territory no longer exists.
responsibility. “Obviously, this is a whole new area under international
“Many of our values and philosophy as to how we build our law, because we’ve never had an experience in the past
systems in our communities is founded on …respect, coopera- where a country disappears from the face of the planet. And
tion, consensus building, responsibility, self-help, collective so we feel that it’s important that we prepare now, we look at
well being, collective ownership, family discipline.” legal avenues that we can contribute to the formation of new
These values are articulated in Tuvalu’s constitution, and international norms, customary international law that could
were adopted by the nation’s forefathers, Kofe said. “One accommodate and cater for countries that would basically be
may ask what is the relevance of these values to climate gone in the next 50 or 100 years,” Kofe said.
change? Or what are the relevance of these values to the As one example, any country that wants to establish ties
international forum? I would say that the world has become a with Tuvalu must “recognise the proposition that Tuvalu state-
community, a single community. We’re so interconnected.” hood is permanent, and that our maritime boundaries [are]
Citing the impact of COVID-19, climate change, and the war also set regardless of the impacts of climate change.”
in Ukraine, Kofe continued, “I think we’ve reached a stage in Venezuela and St Kitts and Nevis have signed joint commu-
the evolution of globalisation, that we are so interconnected niques with Tuvalu recognising the permanency of statehood,
that it is impossible for a single nation to chart a course with- and Kofe said they are looking to sign a further 10 joint com-
out taking into consideration the global context. And so, this muniques at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Govern-
is where I feel these values become relevant and applicable ment meeting in Rwanda.
to the international context.” Tuvalu is also looking at the legal implications of sea level
However he said nations are still driving national interests, rise and climate change. The present legal definition of a
“pursuing short term economic gain at the expense of every- state is that it must have a permanent population, a defined
one else”. physical territory, a government and a capacity to enter into
Kofe said Tuvalu hopes to influence countries to understand relations with other states.
this broader context and shared responsibilities. However Kofe argued that state practice says otherwise,
“We need to rise up above politics, rise above all this imme-
diate national interest that we have, and to look at the bigger Continued on page 31

12 Islands Business, April 2022