Two years after he delivered a speech to the United Nations climate conference standing knee-deep in seawater to highlight the threat to the nation of Tuvalu, minister Simon Kofe said they were on their way to becoming a digital nation.
The Pacific island nation, halfway between Australia and Hawaii, had completed a detailed 3D scan of its 124 islands and islets, which will be the basis for creating a digital clone of itself, he said in a message in December.
Authorities are also archiving Tuvalu’s cultural heritage, as well as exploring a digital identity system to connect the diaspora, and a digital passport so citizens can register births, deaths and marriages, and participate in polls and other events.
“We are taking these practical steps because we must … ensuring our continuing sovereignty in the face of a worst-case scenario,” said Kofe, minister of justice, communication and foreign affairs.
“We cannot outrun the rising tides, but we will do what we can to protect our statehood, our spirit, our values.”