Summary
On 24 October 2025, Tuvalu officially activated the Tuvalu Vaka Cable, a submarine fibre-optic cable that provides the country’s first reliable high-capacity internet connection. The cable underpins Tuvalu’s broader Digital Nation programme, which includes a digital identity system, a Digital Ark to preserve Tuvaluan cultural heritage, a Digital Twin of the physical landscape, and e-government services.
Key details
The Digital Nation programme was conceived partly in response to existential climate threats to Tuvalu’s land territory, with digital infrastructure providing continuity for governance, identity, and culture if physical land becomes uninhabitable. An AI-powered weather forecasting system developed with Atmo Inc. and the Global Centre for Climate Mobility is one of the operational AI applications within this framework.
The Vaka Cable gives approximately 11,000 Tuvaluans access to high-speed connectivity for the first time, directly enabling the e-government service rollout and digital skills programmes included in the Digital Nation strategy.
Scoring relevance
Dimension 15 — The Vaka Cable and government-funded digital infrastructure investment directly supports schools and public institutions. Score: 1 (infrastructure now active; universal access programmes are still being rolled out).