Following his appointment as
prime minister, In March 2024, Teo described his government's top priority was
climate change. The development challenges Tuvalu faces were described by Teo as including the need to improve medical and educational services to Tuvalu's outer islands. and indicated that Tuvalu will seek changes to make it "workable". The statement also address Tuvalu's
relations with Taiwan: "The new government wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the long-term and lasting special relationship between Tuvalu and the Republic of China, Taiwan." In his first interview as prime minister, Teo said, “[o]ur ties with Taiwan are purely based on democratic principles, and they have been very loyal to us." Teo said that the part of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty he wanted to review was the clause stipulating that both countries must “mutually agree” on any security arrangements Tuvalu may want with other countries. Subsequently, Teo said he wanted arrangements to guarantee Tuvalu's sovereignty that "stop short of revising the treaty." On 26 March 2024,
Pat Conroy, Australia's Pacific minister, tabled the Falepili Union treaty in the Australian Parliament for the purpose of obtaining
ratification of the treaty. Conroy stated "[t]he new government of Tuvalu has confirmed its desire to proceed with the Falepili Union." The Falepili Union had been an issue in the
2024 Tuvaluan general election regarding its impact on the sovereignty of Tuvalu. Conroy confirmed that Australia would work with Tuvalu to ensure its sovereignty was respected; he added that "Australia commits to assist Tuvalu in responding to a major natural disaster, a health pandemic, or military aggression, predicated on Tuvalu requesting such assistance." ==References==