3 May 2024: The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Australia-ROK 2+2 talks; Marles announces $100m new military assistance for Ukraine; Marles to travel to Hawaii for trilateral talks; New Pacific Engagement Visa announced, and more.

On 1 May, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik in Melbourne to advance the Australia-Republic of Korea (ROK) Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Marles and Wong “welcomed the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and the commitment it makes to engaging more in the region and working closely with partners.” Both sides agreed to commit to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and explore “trilateral cooperation between Australia, the ROK and Japan through government and 1.5-track Indo-Pacific dialogues.” The Ministers acknowledged the broadening defence industry collaboration. The two sides also “welcomed the ROK’s inaugural sending of observers to Exercise Southern Jackaroo in June 2024,” and “ROK participation in key Australia-led regional defence activities, such as Indo-Pacific Endeavour and Operation Render Safe.” Australia is also currently committed to “participating in exercises in the ROK, including those to support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula such as defence command post exercises Ulchi Freedom Shield and Freedom Shield.” Both sides “welcomed the signing of the MOU between Korea National Defense University and the Australian Defence Force Training Centre to promote bilateral peace operations training, education and cooperation.” They also welcomed the ROK’s “participation in the regional peace operations Exercise Pirap Jabiru,” co-hosted by Australia and Thailand.

Also on 1 May, Marles announced he will travel to Hawaii to meet with his ministerial counterparts from the United States, Japan, and the Philippines. Marles will participate in a “bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and a bilateral meeting with Japanese Minister of Defense, Kihara Minoru.”  While there, the three defence ministers will hold the “13th Australia–Japan–US Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting to discuss deepening cooperation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.” Afterwards, Marles will join a multilateral “dialogue with the Philippines Secretary for National Defense, Gilberto Teodoro Jr, and his United States and Japanese counterparts.” Marles “will also welcome the incoming US Indo-Pacific Commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo at the official Change of Command ceremony.”

The Albanese government announced on 27 April a new AUD$100 million assistance package for Ukraine. Marles made the surprise announcement in Ukraine where he met Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal and Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk. The package includes AUD$50 for military assistance, including $30 million for “uncrewed aerial systems, and $15 million towards other high priority equipment, such as combat helmets, rigid hull inflatable boats, boots, fire masks and generators.” Another $50 million has been earmarked for short range air defence systems and the delivery of air-to-ground precision munitions. This brings Australia’s military assistance to $880 million, with overall support over $1 billion. While in Ukraine, Marles toured the local defence industry and visited Ukraine national forces.

Marles also visited Poland and met his counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (DPM), Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on 26 April. The two DPMs discussed “the conflict in Ukraine, and its global implications including Russia’s flagrant breach of the UN Charter.” Marles also thanked the “Polish Government for its support of the recent six-month deployment of Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail, which helped protect a vital gateway of international humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.”

On 1 may, Wong announced the appointments of five Board Members to the Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR), and the reappointment of Professor Hala Zreiqat as Chair to the Council. The new board members include Professor Ali Abbas, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Associate Dean of Research at the University of Sydney; Ms Zinab Al Hilaly, a community engagement practitioner and advisor; Mr Mohammad Al-Khafaji, Head of Strategic Partnerships at SBS and formerly the CEO of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia; Ms Dena Alnashie, CEO of Al Nasser & Al Nashie United Company, one of the largest construction firms in Kuwait; and Ms Sandra Elhelw, CEO of the Settlement Council of Australia which empowers migrants and refugees to pursue entrepreneurial ventures and make meaningful contributions to the Australian community.

Wong joined Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Minister for Defence Industries Pat Conroy and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles on 27 April for the announcement of a new Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) program from 3 June 2024. “The program will enable up to 3,000 citizens of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste to migrate to Australia as permanent residents each year.” The program will employ an “online ballot to select participants, who can then apply for the visa, providing an equitable, streamlined and transparent system. Applicants must secure a formal ongoing job offer in Australia and meet health and character requirements, before being granted a visa.” Participating countries include include Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

On 30 April, Minister for Trade and Tourism and Special Minister of State Don Farrell co-chaired the 17th Joint Ministerial Economic Commission meeting between Australia and China. The virtual meeting with Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, was an opportunity to discuss “Australian coal, cotton, copper ores and concentrates, timber logs, oaten hay, barley and most recently bottled wine,” which has returned to the Chinese market. The two sides welcomed progress in the bilateral trade relationship. Conroy pressed for remaining trade impediments on the “rock lobster industry, and red meat export establishments, to be resolved as soon as possible.”

Also on 30 April, Conroy announced the Australian Government will invest up to $100 million in the new five-year Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation Program. The program works with Pacific countries to build a safer, more resilient and sustainable aviation sector. The announcement continues the engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum member partners to support the region’s aviation needs and work towards Blue Pacific 2050 objectives.

In a media release on 29 April, Conroy announced he will be travelling to Fiji in an effort to “further strengthen our deep and enduring relationship underpinned by our renewed and elevated Vuvale Partnership.” While in Fiji, Conroy will hold talks with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to discuss how Australia “can continue to practically support Fiji to deliver on their development priorities.” Expected announcements during the trip will include programs around “infrastructure, cyber and aviation, as well as skills development.” This will be Conroy’s first bilateral visit to Fiji as Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Minister for Defence Industry.

This week, Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing Tim Ayres will travel to Denmark and France to promote Australian industry and champion global markets and rules-based free trade. In a statement released on 30 April, Ayres announced his travels will include meeting with government officials, investors and industry leaders in Denmark to “encourage investment and technology transfer to support Australia’s green transition, manufacturing, and defence industry objectives.” In France, Ayres will “attend the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting.”

Dr Adam Bartley is the managing editor for AIIA’s Australian Outlook and weekly columnist for The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and resident fellow at the Elliot School for International Affairs, the George Washington University. Adam also has positions as post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation RMIT University  and as program manager of the AI Trilateral Experts Group. He can be found on Twitter here.

This article is published under a Creative Commons License and may be republished with attribution.