Foreign relations of Australia are influenced by its position as a leading trading nation and as a significant donor of humanitarian aid. Australia's foreign policy is guided by a commitment to multilateralism and regionalism, as well as to build strong bilateral relations with its allies. Key concerns include free trade, terrorism, refugees, economic co-operation with Asia and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is active in the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. Given its history of starting and supporting important regional and global initiatives, it has been described as a regional middle power par excellence.[1]
It maintains significant ties with ASEAN and has become steadfastly allied with New Zealand, through long-standing ties dating back to the 1800s. The country also has a longstanding alliance with the United States of America. Over recent decades Australia has sought to strengthen its relationship with Asian countries, with this becoming the focus of the country's network of diplomatic missions.[2][3][4][5][6][7] In 2021, Australia signed a significant security partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States of America (AUKUS) aimed at upholding security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Before the Second World War, Australia saw its economic and military security assured by being a loyal dominion of the British Empire and generally sought to align its diplomatic policies with those of the British Government. Although Australia, like other British Dominions, was a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles and a member of the League of Nations, the British Government handled most of Australia's diplomatic exchanges outside the Empire.[8] The approach of the Second World War saw the first steps by Australia in establishing its own diplomatic network, particularly with economically and politically important countries of the Pacific Rim. The first accredited diplomat sent to a foreign country was Richard Casey, appointed as the first Minister to the United States in January 1940.[9] This was followed shortly after by the arrival of the first Australian high commissioner to Canada,[10] and by appointments of Ministers to Japan in 1940 and China in 1941. With the entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 and the consequent heightened vulnerability of Australia to attack, a critical decision was made by the Curtin Government to more closely seek the military protection of the United States. Since that time, United States has been the most important security ally. The close security relationship with the United States was formalized in 1951 by the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements.
During and after the Second World War, and in parallel with the evolution of the British Empire to the Commonwealth of Nations, Australia progressively took responsibility for fully managing its foreign relations with other states. Australia concluded an agreement in 1944 with New Zealand dealing with the security, welfare, and advancement of the people of the dependent territories of the Pacific (the ANZAC pact).[11] Australia was one of the founders of the United Nations (1945) and the South Pacific Commission (1947), and in 1950, it proposed the Colombo Plan to assist developing countries in Asia. After the war, Australia played a role in the Far Eastern Commission in Japan and supported Indonesian independence during that country's revolt against the Dutch (1945–49).[12]
As the Cold War deepened, Australia aligned itself fully with the Western Powers. In addition to contributing to UN forces in the Korean War – it was the first country to announce it would do so after the United States – Australia sent troops to assist in putting down the communist revolt in Malaya in 1948–60 and later to combat the Indonesian-supported invasion of Sarawak in 1963–65.[13] Australia sent troops to repel communism and assist South Vietnamese and American forces in the Vietnam War, in a move that stirred up antiwar activism at home.[14] Australia has been active in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, and in the Australia – New Zealand – United Kingdom agreement and the Five Power Defence Arrangement—successive arrangements with Britain and New Zealand to ensure the security of Singapore and Malaysia.
After the end of the Cold War, Australia remained an important contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and to other multilateral security missions, often in alliance with the United States. Notably, it joined coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), the Iraq War of 2003-2011 and the War in Iraq (2013-2017). In 1999 Australian peace keeping forces intervened in East Timor following its referendum to secede from Indonesia. In 2006 Australia sent a contingent of Australian troops to the state to assist in the 2006 East Timor crisis.[15] Australia has also most recently led security assistance, peacekeeping and policing missions elsewhere in its neighbourhood, including in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
In the late 20th Century and early 21st Century, a new element in Australia's foreign relations was the growing relationship with the People's Republic of China. After the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1972, Sino-Australian relations grew rapidly, to a point where China became Australia's main trading partner and extensive official and people-to-people links were well established. In the first 15 years of the 21st Century, Australia maintained privileged relations with both the United States and China. Since 2017, Sino-Australian relations have deteriorated dramatically, as a result of Australian criticism of policies and actions taken under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyXi Jinping. This has strongly influenced recent Australian bilateral and multi-lateral engagements such as the Pacific Step-Up with Pacific Island states, the development of comprehensive strategic partnerships with a number of regional states, and the pursuit of alliances directed at countering Chinese predominance in the Indo-Pacific region. Since 2017, existing security arrangements have been augmented by a revived Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involving India, Japan and United States, the 2021 AUKUS security partnership with the United States and United Kingdom and the 2022 Australia-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement, which provides for closer Australian-Japanese cooperation on defence and humanitarian operations.
One of the drafters of the UN Charter, Australia has given firm support to the United Nations system. Australia held the first Presidency of the Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military observers under UN auspices a year later, to Indonesia. It has been a member of the Security Council a further four times, in 1956–57, 1973–74, 1986–87 and 2013–14.[16] It has been regularly elected a member of the Economic and Social Council most recently for 2020–22, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018-20 and its predecessor the UN Commission on Human Rights in the 1990s. Australia takes a prominent part in many other UN activities, including peacekeeping, disarmament negotiations, and narcotics control. In September 1999, acting under a UN Security Council mandate, Australia led an international coalition to restore order in East Timor upon Indonesia's withdrawal from that territory. Australia has also been closely engaged in international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance through the Specialized agencies, Funds and Programmes and Regional Commissions of the United Nations and major International Financial Institutions, in particular the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Australia has devoted particular attention in the early 21st century to promoting regional architecture centred around the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to support dialogue on political, security and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia is an active participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN sponsored East Asia Summit. Australia's place at the 2005 inaugural summit was only secured after it agreed to reverse its policy and accede to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Australia had been reluctant to sign the treaty out of concerns regarding how it would affect Australia's obligation under other treaty arrangements including ANZUS.
Japan (as of 2014).[17] Under this partnership, Australia and Japan have established a strong and broad-ranging security relationship under the renewed 2022 Australia-Japan Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation.[18]
Comprehensive strategic partnerships are broad, high level relationships which have increasingly been formalized in the Asia-Pacific region under this description since the early 21st century. They are arrangements which, in general, convey a sense of mutual value, strategic alignment and positive intent to further strengthen ties.[19] They establish the framework for an intensified level of engagement across governments and indicate particularly close bilateral relations. Australia has a formal comprehensive strategic partnership with the following countries and multi-national organizations:
In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a "comprehensive strategic partnership", and this helped facilitate an extensive program of engagement. This partnership went into dormancy, particularly from 2020, but is being gradually revived with the improvement of relations since 2023.[28]
Overall Australia's largest trading partners are the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom. Australia currently has bilateral Free Trade Agreements with New Zealand, the United States, Thailand and Singapore as of 2007 and the United Kingdom as of 2021. As well as this, Australia is in the process undertaking studies on Free Trade Agreements with ASEAN, China, Chile, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
To bolster its foreign policy, Australia maintains a very well-equipped military, According to SIPRI, Australia is the fourth largest importer of major weapons in the world.[29] The US supplied 60 per cent of Australia's imports and Spain 29 per cent.[30] All armed services have received new major arms in 2014–18, but mainly aircraft and ships. The F-35 combat aircraft and antisubmarine warfare aircraft from the USA made up 53 per cent of Australian arms imports in 2014–18, while ships from Spain accounted for 29 per cent. Large deliveries for additional aircraft and ships are outstanding.[30]
Australia is modernising its armed forces but also acquiring weapons that significantly increase its long-range capabilities. Among the weapons imported in 2010–14 were 5 tanker aircraft and the first of 2 amphibious assault ships from Spain, along with 2 large transport aircraft and 4 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft from the USA. Australia also received 26 combat aircraft from the US, with 82 more on order (see box 3), as well as 8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the US and 3 Hobart destroyers from Spain. Australia's imports of major weapons increased 37 percent between 2010 and 2014 and 2014–18, making it the fourth largest importer in the world according to SIPRI.[30]
In 2021, after Australia ended its 20-year military mission in Afghanistan, the defence officials held formal talks on strengthening military ties with the United Arab Emirates. However, the human rights groups said that it was "very concerning" to witness, as the Emirates was accused of carrying out "unlawful attacks" in war-torn nations like Libya and Yemen.[31]
In December 2021, Australia signed a defence procurement deal with South Korea worth $1billion AUD (US$720 million) for modern artillery, supply trucks and radars supplied by South Korean defense company Hanwha. The South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met for the signing of the agreement and additionally announced they were formally upgrading the Australian-South Korean relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership."[32]
According to the Australian think tankLowy Institute, Australia is the Pacific region's largest development partner, disbursing A$17 billion worth of international aid between 2008 and 2021, accounting for 40% of the region's overseas development finance (ODF). Australian international aid in the Pacific exceeded other regional partners including the Asian Development Bank, China, New Zealand and Japan. Between 2019 and 2021, Australian's overseas development finance in the Pacific rose from A$1.34 billion in 2019 to A$1.89 billion in 2021.[33]
In May 2024, RNZ reported that the Albanese Government had slightly increased Australia's foreign aid budget by four percent, bringing its total 2024-2025 aid o A$4.961 billion budget. In August 2023, the Government had released its new international development strategy, which promised new country, gender, disability and humanitarian aid strategies.[34]
As of 2011, Australia had established formal diplomatic relations with all members of the United Nations as well as the Holy See, Kosovo, Cook Islands and (in 2014) Niue. In many cases, diplomatic relations are maintained on a non-resident basis, with the Australian ambassador or high commissioner based in another country. Since 2012, diplomatic relations have been effectively suspended with the Syrian Arab Republic, with no diplomatic accreditation by either country maintained, but consular relations continue.[35] In the case of Afghanistan, following the Taliban takeover in 2021, diplomatic relations are in an ambiguous status with Australia "temporarily" closing its embassy in Kabul and not recognizing the Islamic Emirate government but maintaining the credentials of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra.[36] A number of Canadian missions provide consular assistance to Australians in countries in Africa where Australia does not maintain an office (and Australia reciprocates this arrangement for Canada in some other countries) through the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement.[37]
Due to the One China Policy of the People's Republic of China, the Australian Office in Taiwan (formerly the Australian Commerce and Industry Office) unofficially represents Australia's interest in Taiwan, serving a function similar to other Australian Consulates.
Australia is accredited to Algeria from its embassy in Paris, France.
An Australian resident embassy was established in Algiers in 1975 and was closed in 1991 for budgetary reasons. For a history of Australian representation to Algeria see List of ambassadors of Australia to Algeria.
Bilateral goods and services trade in 2020 was valued at approximately A$165 million, mostly Australian imports of crude petroleum.[218]
Australia and Angola established diplomatic relations in May 1988 with the accreditation by Australia of an ambassador resident in Lusaka, Zambia.[220] Accreditation soon switched to the High Commissioner in Pretoria, South Africa.
Australia also has an honorary consulate in Luanda.
Angola has an embassy in Canberra, opened in December 2024.
The trade and investment relationship between the two countries is limited, with two way merchandise trade being just over A$5.6m in 2019–20.[221]
Australia and Botswana have enjoyed good relations since Botswana's independence, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria.
Australia also has an honorary consulate in Gaborone.
Botswana has a high commission in Canberra and has honorary consulates in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and the New South Wales mid-north coast town of Kendall[224]
Governor General Quentin Bryce made the first official visit of an Australian Governor-General to Botswana in March 2009.[225] President Ian Khama made the first official visit of a Botswanan President to Australia in March 2010.
Australia and Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations in 2008 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
Australia's ambassador is accredited from Accra, Ghana.
Burkina Faso's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan.
Australia and Cape Verde established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
Australia is accredited to Cape Verde from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.
Cape Verde has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Australia and Cameroon enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in March 2002 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Abuja, Nigeria.
Australia also maintains an honorary consulate in Yaoundé.
The Cameroonian high commissioner is accredited from Tokyo, Japan.
Cameroon also maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney.
The two countries have modest trade links. In 2019-2020 total merchandise trade was A$1.3 million.[232]
Australia and the Central African Republic established diplomatic relations in 2010 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
Australia is accredited to the Central African Republic from its embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Central African Republic has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Australia and Comoros established diplomatic relations in July 1983 with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first ambassador. The two countries cooperate as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and through small development cooperation projects.
Australia and Congo established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
The Australian ambassador is accredited from Harare, Zimbabwe.
Congo has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Australia and the DRC established diplomatic relations in 2011 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
The Australian ambassador is accredited from Harare, Zimbabwe.
The DRC has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Immigration from the DRC to Australia has occurred mainly since the early 2000s. At the end of June 2019, 7,210 people born in the DRC were living in Australia.[237]
Trade between the two countries is small. In 2019-2020 total merchandise trade was only A$3.4 million.[238]
Egypt was the first Arab country with which Australia established diplomatic relations, with the opening of an Australian legation in Cairo in 1950.
Following President Gamal Abdel Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal in July 1956, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies lead a five-nation delegation to Cairo in August 1956 to negotiate with Nasser about the return of the Canal to international control. The Suez Canal was the preeminent economic trade route for Australia at that time.[239] Diplomatic relations were broken by Egypt in November 1956 in protest over subsequent Australian support for the Anglo-French invasion during the Suez Crisis.[240] Relations were restored in 1959 and raised to embassy-level in 1961. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Egypt see List of ambassadors of Australia to Egypt.
Egypt has an embassy in Canberra and two consulates-general (in Melbourne and Sydney).[241]
There is a significant community in Australia of Egyptian-born immigrants and their descendants, resulting in significant people-to-people ties between the two countries. Immigration from Egypt became significant after the Second World War, including by a large number of Coptic Christians. The 2016 Australian census recorded almost 40,000 Egyptian-born residents.[242] (See also Egyptian Australians)
Australia supported the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty and has provided deployments of military personnel to the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai since 1982. Australia engages with Egypt on a number of shared regional and international priorities, including counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism.[243]
in 2016-17 two-way merchandise trade totalled A$582 million (A$533 million in exports from Australia and A$49 million in imports from Egypt). Australia's principal exports to Egypt are agricultural products including vegetables, wool and wheat. Australian companies are prominent investors in Egypt's mining sector.[243]
Then Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Egypt in October 2017 to attend commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein and make an official visit that included a meeting with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II visited Australia in September 2017.[243]
Australia and Equatorial Guinea established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
Australia's ambassador is accredited from Madrid, Spain.
Equatorial Guinea's ambassador is accredited from Beijing, China.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 November 1993 when first Eritrea's Ambassador to Australia Mr. Fessehaie Abraham presented his credentials[193]
Australia is accredited to Eritrea from its embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
Eritrea is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Beijing, China and has a consulate-general in Melbourne.
A small but influential Eritrean refugee community in Australia since the 1970s promoted a sympathetic view of Eritrean independence and in 1989 Australia hosted a quasi-official visit of Eritrean rebel leader Issaias Afewerki. The Australian NGO Fred Hollows Foundation has been active in Eritrea since the 1980s in supporting the elimination of trachoma and established Africa's only factory making intra-ocular lenses required for cataract operations.[245]
Australia established diplomatic relations with Eritrea following its internationally recognised independence in 1993 and implemented a significant aid program. Eritrea opened an embassy in Canberra that year, which remained open until 2013.
Political repression in Eritrea, human rights violations and war with neighbouring Ethiopia led to a chill in political relations and Australia has applied Eritrea-related UN sanctions.
The 2016 Australian census recorded 4,303 Eritrean-born residents, mostly living in Melbourne.[246]
Australia and Eswatini have enjoyed good relations since Eswatini's independence, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria, South Africa.
Eswatini is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ethiopia and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1965 with an Australian ambassador accredited on a non-resident basis from Nairobi, Kenya. In 1984 an Australian embassy was opened in Addis Ababa. It was closed in 1987 due to budget cuts and accreditation returned to the High Commission in Nairobi. In September 2010, a resident Ambassador was reappointed and since then Australia has continued to maintain an embassy in Addis Ababa, with concurrent accreditation to the African Union. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Ethiopia see List of ambassadors of Australia to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia opened an embassy in Canberra in December 2013. Prior to this Ethiopia's ambassador was accredited from Tokyo.[248]
Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Ethiopia in March 2009.[251]
A Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation and a Bilateral Cooperation Agreement were signed by the two countries in May 2012 and January 2013 respectively.
Australia has a small but growing Ethiopian-born community, primarily in Melbourne, Victoria. The 2016 Australian census recorded 11,792 Ethiopia-born people of diverse ethnic and linguistic heritage.[252] See also Ethiopian Australians.
Merchandise trade between Australia and Ethiopia is small, valued at A$31 million in 2019-2020 and mainly comprising Australian imports of coffee.[253]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 October 1984 when Mr. A. R.Taylor, presented his letter of credence as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Gabon.[168]
At the time Gabon joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 2022, Australia's accredited representative was redesignated high commissioner.
Gabon has not yet accredited a representative to Australia.
Two way merchandise trade between the two countries was almost A$120 million in 2019–2020. A significant part of that trade is Australian imports of crude petroleum and Gabonese imports of aircraft.[254]
President Ali Bongo Ondimba made a state visit to Australia in 2012.[255] His father, President Omar Bongo, had earlier been officially welcomed to Australia during a largely private visit in 1978.[256]
Australia and The Gambia have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were established upon the presentation of credentials in February 1982 of Australia's first high commissioner, then resident in Accra, Ghana.
Australia is currently accredited to The Gambia from its high commission in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Gambia is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Australia's trade relations are modest, valued at A$113 million in 2007, most of that exports to Ghana. Australian mining investment in Ghana has grown in recent years, primarily in the gold mining sector.
Australia also provides foreign aid to Ghana to alleviate poverty, improve the environment and promote human rights.[260]
Australia and Guinea share close interests in the mining sector. They are the two largest bauxite producers in the world (see List of countries by bauxite production) and were founding signatories in the 1970s of the (now defunct) International Bauxite Agreement. Australian companies are involved in developing the Guinean mining sector.
Australia is accredited to Guinea from its high commission in Accra, Ghana.
Guinea is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
Australia granted de jure recognition to Guinea-Bissau on 11 August 1974, having extended de facto recognition in June 1974 in support of its independence campaign.[261]
Australia and Guinea-Bissau established diplomatic relations in March 2011 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[262]
Australia's ambassador is accredited from Lisbon, Portugal.
Guinea-Bissau has not yet established representation to Australia.
Australia and Côte d'Ivoire established diplomatic relations with the accreditation in September 1974 of an Australian ambassador resident in Accra, Ghana.
Côte d'Ivoire opened an embassy in Canberra in 2016 but this was closed in 2021.[264]
Two way merchandise trade between the countries was A$123 million in 2019–2020.[265]
Australia's relations with Kenya are based on Kenya's key role and position in East Africa and its importance in multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization.
Kenya has a high commission in Canberra, opened in 1983.[267]
Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Kenya in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations.[268]
There is a small but growing Kenya-born community in Australia. The latest Australian Census in 2016 recorded 17,652 Kenya-born people in Australia.[269]
Trade has been growing between the two countries, with two-way merchandise trade reaching $115 million in 2018–19. Wheat and minerals are Australia's main exports to Kenya, while coffee and vegetables make up the bulk of imports.[270]
Australia has provided development assistance to Kenya since the late 20th Century.
Australia and Lesotho have enjoyed good relations since Lesotho's independence, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria, South Africa.
Lesotho is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Newcastle.[271]
Australia and Liberia established diplomatic relations in 2008 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard,[227] with Australia's high commissioner in Accra, Ghana becoming Australia's first Ambassador to Liberia in February 2009.[274][275]
Liberia has not yet established representation to Australia.
Australia and Libya announced the establishment of diplomatic relations on 4 January 1978.[276] A Libyan People's Bureau was opened in Canberra and the Australian ambassador to Italy was accredited on a non-resident basis. Concerns about Libyan destabilising activities in the Pacific region, part of a broader sponsorship by Muammar Gaddafi of such activities around the world, led to the expulsion of the Bureau in Canberra in 1987.[277][278]
As part of the thawing of relations between Libya and Western nations following Gaddafi's post 9-11 policy u-turns, diplomatic relations were restored in 2002, the Libyan People's Bureau reopened in Canberra and the Australian ambassador in Rome resumed non-resident accreditation. This has remained the case, though with the Bureau's name reverting to embassy following the overthrow of Gaddafi.
Australia was a major non-military backer of the revolutionaries during the Libyan Civil War, sending more humanitarian aid to Libya than any other single country after the United States.[279][280] It was relatively early to recognise the NTC, doing so on 9 June 2011, months before the capture of Tripoli.[281][282]
In December 2011, when then Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd travelled to Libya to meet with Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib. Rudd ceremonially hoisted the flag of Australia at his country's consulate-general in Tripoli and pledged Canberra's support for efforts to remove unexploded landmines in Libya, as well as advice on Libya's planned transition to democratic governance.[283]
There is a small Libyan community in Australia, mainly in Victoria. The 2016 Australian census recorded 2,535 Libyan-born people.[284]
The Libyan civil war that has followed Gaddafi's overthrow and the lack of a stable political settlement has constrained the development of trade and investment links between the countries. In 2019-20 total merchandise trade was valued at A$738 million, almost all being imports by Australia of Libyan crude petroleum.[285]
Australia and Madagascar have enjoyed friendly relations since Madagascar's independence in 1960. President Philibert Tsiranana was the first African head of state to make an official visit to Australia in November 1965.[287]
Australia and Madagascar established diplomatic relations in 1974 with the accreditation of an Australian ambassador on a non-resident basis.
Australia is currently accredited to Madagascar from the high commission in Port Louis, Mauritius and maintains an honorary consulate in Antananarivo.
Madagascar is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius and maintains an honorary consulate-general in Sydney.
Two-way merchandise trade in 2019-2020 was valued at a modest A$40 million.[288]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 July 1983 when Mr. I. L. James, the first High Commissioner of Australia to Malawi presented his letters of credentials.[159]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 March 1984 when first non-resident Ambassador of Mali to Australia Mr. Boubacar Toure presented his credentials[165]
Australia is accredited to Mali from its high commission in Accra, Ghana.
Mali is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 December 2001.[204]
Australia's ambassador is accredited from Paris, France.
Mauritania's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan.
Australian companies are present in Mauritania's mining sector and two-way trade between the two countries is mainly mining-related, In 2019-2020 Australia imported about A$100m in iron ore, and exported about A$8 million, mainly in specialized civil engineering equipment.[291]
Australia and Mauritius have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations since Mauritius's independence. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1970. There are strong economic, education and people-to-people links.[292]
Morocco has an embassy in Canberra, which opened in 2005.
Two-way trade between Australia and Morocco was valued at over A$144 million in 2021, with the main imports from Morocco being chemicals and manufactured clothing, and the main Australian exports being meat, fruit and vegetables.
Australian Parliamentary Delegations have visited Morocco in 1993, 2011 and 2013.
Australia provided five contingents of signals staff to the UN peace-keeping mission in the Western Sahara (MINURSO) between September 1991 and May 1994.[294]
Australia follows the UN position on Western Sahara as territory yet to be formally decolonized, and has neither recognised Moroccan sovereignty nor the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Diplomatic relations were established in April 1982 when the first Ambassador of Australia to Mozambique with residence in Harare presented his credentials to President Samora Machel. Since Mozambique was admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations, the two countries have exchanged High Commissioners.
Australia is currently accredited from its High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa. In addition, Australia has an honorary consulate in Maputo.
Mozambique is accredited from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Mozambique also has an honorary consulate in Melbourne.
Bilateral merchandise trade reached A$484 million in 2019–20, comprising mostly Australian aluminium exports.[297]
Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Mozambique in April 2009 to promote bilateral relations. This was reciprocated by the state visit of President Armando Guebuza in March 2013.[298]
Australia was an active supporter for the peaceful decolonization of Namibia, becoming a member of the United Nations Council on Namibia in 1974 and contributing military engineers to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group in 1989-1990 (see Australian contribution to UNTAG).
Australia's high commissioner to Namibia is accredited from Pretoria and has an honorary consulate in Windhoek.
Namibia has an honorary consulate-general in Sydney.
Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Namibia in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations.[299]
Australia and Niger established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
Australia is accredited to Niger from Abuja, Nigeria. The first Australian ambassador presented credentials in Niamey on 25 January 2011.[301])
Niger is accredited to Australia through its embassy in New Delhi, India.
President Issoufou Mahamadou made the first visit to Australia by a Nigerien President in October 2017, to promote bilateral relations in such areas as mining, energy and dryland agriculture and security and counter-terrorism cooperation.[302]
Australia and Nigeria enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were established upon Nigeria's independence in 1960 with the appointment of an Australian high commissioner based in the then capital of Lagos.
Periodic Nigeria-Australia Senior Officials Talks are held under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade signed in September 2012. The third such bilaterial discussions were held in Abuja in February 2020.[303]
There is a small but growing Nigerian-born community in Australia. The 2016 Australian census recorded 8,488 Nigerian-born residents. Migration from Nigeria started with students in the 1960s and nowadays continues through skilled and family migration.[304] See also Nigerian Australians.
Total merchandise trade between the countries in 2019-2020 was A$460 million, a significant element being Australian imports of crude petroleum.[305] Nigeria-Australia Investment Fora, most recently held in Melbourne in 2020, have sought to promote an expansion of Australian investment.[306]
Australia and Rwanda enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were formalized in 2007.[307]
Australia's high commissioner is accredited from Nairobi, Kenya.
Rwanda's high commissioner is accredited from Singapore. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Melbourne.
The two countries' trading relationship is modest. In 2019-2020 the two-way merchandise trade was A$1.6 million.[308] Rwanda exports coffee and tea to Australia while it has also attracted Australian companies in mining, agro-inputs and technology to Rwanda. Additionally, a sizable number of Rwandans have benefited from Australian government scholarships to pursue graduate and post-graduate courses in Australia over the years.[309]
In 1994-1995 Australia provided two small military medical contingents to support the post-genocide United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR II).[310]
Australia and São Tomé and Príncipe established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227]
Australia is accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.[312]
São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to Australia through its embassy in Lisbon.
Australia and Seychelles have enjoyed good relations, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Indian Ocean Rim Association, dating back prior to Seychelles' independence. Then Prime Minister James Mancham made an official visit to Australia in April 1976.[314] Diplomatic relations were established on 29 June 1976, Seychelles' independence day.[315]
Australia's high commissioner to Seychelles is resident in Port Louis, Mauritius.
Seychelles' high commissioner to Australia is resident in New Delhi, India.
There has been a significant Seychellois diaspora living in Australia, traditionally the largest outside Seychelles, although the number of Seychelles-born residents has dropped in recent years. The latest Australian Census in 2016 recorded 2,519 Seychelles-born people in Australia.[316] The diaspora is significantly enlarged by second and third-generations of Seychellois ancestry who maintain links with the island nation. Many Seychelles political and business leaders have studied in Australia.
Total merchandise trade between the two countries in 2019-2020 was valued at A$10.6 million.[317]
Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Seychelles in April 2009 to promote bilateral relations. This was reciprocated in August 2011 by the state visit of President James Michel.[318]
An Australian lawyer heads the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) established by the Seychelles National Assembly in 2018. The TRNUC is examining the political, human rights and legal legacy of Seychelles long-time authoritarian ruler France-Albert René.[319]
Australia and Sierra Leone have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were formally established in October 1981 with the appointment of the first non-resident Australian high commissioner.
Australia is accredited to Sierra Leone from its high commission in Accra, Ghana.
Sierra Leone is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Beijing, China. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Sydney.
There is a small Sierra Leone community in Australia, the majority of whom have come after 2001 under the Humanitarian Program. The 2016 Australian census recorded 3,410 Sierra Leone-born persons.[321]
Australia has been active in contributing capacity development and small development projects in Sierra Leone, including support to peace building through financial and technical assistance to the UN Peace building Fund and the Special Court for Sierra Leone.[322]
Bilateral trade is modest. Total merchandise trade in 2019-2020 was A$4.5 million.[323]
Australia and Somalia first formalized diplomatic relations in February 1982 when a non-resident Somali ambassador presented credentials in Canberra.[324] This subsequently lapsed and the two countries re-established diplomatic relations in 2010.[325]
Australia's ambassador to Somalia is accredited from Nairobi, Kenya.
Somalia currently does not have representation to Australia.
Australia has supported the state-building and counter-terrorism efforts of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and has provided humanitarian assistance. Australia's first involvement was to support the United Nations-approved Unified Task Force (UNITAF) which delivered humanitarian aid in 1992–1993. The Australian operation was called Operation Solace and involved the deployment of some 900 military personnel to provide a secure environment for the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Baidoa region. In May 1993, UNITAF handed over to a reinforced UNOSOM II. The Australian Battalion Group withdrew to Australia. The Australian Defence Force Contingent provided movement control, air traffic control, some HQ staff and a ready reaction security team at the Mogadishu airport. The Australian force was withdrawn in 1996.[326]
Australia provided over $61 million to Somalia in 2011 in response to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis and has since provided funding to support the AMISOM mission and humanitarian projects.[327]
In September 2012 following the election of Hassan Sheikh Ahmed Mohamoud, foreign minister Bob Carr said," Australia shares the cautious optimism of the international community about Somalia's future prospects."[328]
There is a small Somali community in Australia. Most Somalis began to settle in Australia in the early 1990s following the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia. About 80 per cent of the new arrivals came under the aegis of the local Refugee and Special Humanitarian Program. The latest Census in 2016 recorded 7,668 Somalia-born people in Australia, half of whom are resident in Victoria.[329] See Somali Australians for more information.
Trading ties are modest and mainly comprise Australian merchandise exports. In 2019-2020 this was valued at A$1.8m[330]
See Australia–South Africa relationsAustralian Governor-General Quentin Bryce meets with Nelson Mandela during her stopover in South Africa, 24 March 2009.
Australia announced the appointment of its first High Commissioner to South Africa in May 1946, with the high commission being established in Cape Town from August 1946.
Both countries are historically linked through the British Empire and are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Following the adoption of the apartheid policy by South Africa in 1948, relations became increasingly strained, particularly from the 1970s onwards, although diplomatic relations were maintained. Relations have been normalized since the inauguration of the first democratically elected Government of South Africa in May 1994, and there are substantial political, economic and people-to-people links between the two countries.
In his first year of freedom, Nelson Mandela visited Australia in 1990 to thank the country for opposing apartheid.[331]
According to the 2016 Australian census, 162,450 Australian residents were born in South Africa. South African-born immigrants have distinguished themselves in sport, the arts, media and business - see South African Australians.
South Africa is Australia's largest export market in Africa with two-way trade in goods and services totaling A$3.141 billion in 2021. South Africa is also Australia's most significant investment partner in Africa, with bilateral investment valued at A$15.2 billion in 2021.[332]
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and his South Sudanese counterpart, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Nhial Deng Nhial, sign a joint communique establishing diplomatic relations between Australia and South Sudan.
Australia and South Sudan established diplomatic relations on 24 September 2011.[215]
Australia's ambassador is accredited on a non-resident basis from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
South Sudan's ambassador is accredited on a non-resident basis from Beijing.
Australia is home to a significant South Sudanese community. According to the 2016 Australian Housing and Population Census, 7,699 Australian residents were born in South Sudan. Community leaders estimate that, counting persons born when South Sudan was part of the Republic of Sudan, and who report their birthplace as Sudan, the total is about 20,000. The majority of the South Sudan-born population arrived in Australia between 2001 and 2006 under Australia's refugee resettlement program.[333]South Sudanese Australians have distinguished themselves in a wide variety of fields including sport, fashion, music and law.
Australia has contributed almost $113 million in humanitarian assistance to South Sudan since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013, including over $60 million since 2017.[334]
Australia has a contingent of Australian Defence Force personnel in South Sudan who have been deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) since its inception in 2011.
Australia is accredited to Sudan from its embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
Sudan has an embassy in Canberra, which took over the old Eritrean embassy and opened in 2017.
Although Australia had been critical of human rights violations and political repression in Sudan, and has applied Sudan-related UN sanctions, relations have improved since 2017. In September 2018, Australia and Sudan held inaugural Senior Officials Talks in Canberra.
The 2016 Australian Census recorded 17,031 Sudan-born people in Australia. Since 2001 many immigrants from Sudan, or those born to Sudanese parents in regugee camps, have come under the Humanitarian Program.[336]
Trade between the two countries is modest, totalling about A$10m in 2019–2020.[337] Sudan regularly attends the Africa Down Under and the International Mining and Resources Conferences at ministerial level.
Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce paid a state visit to Tanzania in March 2009.[340]
There is a small Tanzanian community in Australia, with the Australian Census in 2016 recording 3,830 Tanzanian-born persons.[341]
Several Australian companies are involved in mining projects in Tanzania, and minerals and engineering equipment are Australia's main exports to the country. Tanzania's main exports to Australia are coffee and agricultural crops. Two-way merchandise trade between Australia and Tanzania was over $61 million in 2018–19.[342]
Australia and Togo established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.[227][344]
The Australian high commissioner is accredited from Accra.
Togo has not yet established representation to Australia.
Australia is accredited to Tunisia from its high commission in Malta.
Tunisia maintained an embassy in Canberra for a number of years until 2021 and is now accredited to Australia from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. It also has an honorary consulate in Brisbane.
Australia and Tunisia have a modest trading relationship, with two-way merchandise trade valued at about A$40 million in 2019–2020.[345]
Australia and Uganda have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were announced in August 1965 with the accreditation of Australia's high commissioner based in Nairobi, Kenya. Australia also has an honorary consulate in Kampala.
Uganda has a high commission in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Perth.
The Australian-Uganda trade relationship is modest, with two-way merchandise trade and investment reaching almost A$7 million in 2018–19. The main Australian exports are engineering equipment, and the main imports are coffee and spices.[346]
Australia and Zimbabwe established diplomatic relations upon Zimbabwe's independence on 18 April 1980.[349] The Australian liaison office in Harare (then Salisbury) was upgraded on that date to a high commission (embassy since 2003 when Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth). For a detailed history of Australian representation in Zimbabwe see List of ambassadors of Australia to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has an embassy in Canberra, which opened in 1988.
Australia played a leading role in the Lancaster House negotiations for the internationally recognised decolonisation of Southern Rhodesia and the then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser attended the independence celebrations on the invitation of then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. Australia had contributed to the Commonwealth Ceasefire Monitoring Force.[350]
Relations between the two countries soured in the late 1990s, following the implementation in Zimbabwe of a controversial land reform program and later the increasingly autocratic behaviour of the Mugabe government. In 2002, the Howard government in Australia imposed targeted sanctions against members of the Zimbabwean government in protest against the deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe. These sanctions, adjusted over time, remain in force as of 2021. They include an arms embargo and sanctions against listed individuals designated as having seriously undermined democracy, respect for human rights or the rule of law in Zimbabwe.
There is a significant Zimbabwean diaspora in Australia. The latest Census in 2016 recorded 34,787 Zimbabwe-born people in Australia. While most of these are white Zimbabweans and of English or Scottish backgrounds, there are growing numbers of people of indigenous Shona and Ndebele ethnicities.[351]Zimbabwean Australians across ethnic backgrounds have distinguished themselves in sports, music and the arts.
Following Zimbabwe's independence, trade between the countries developed modestly, but is presently minimal (two-way trade in 2019-2020 was only about A$2 million).[352]
Australia and Antigua and Barbuda enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Both countries have established diplomatic relations.[353]
Australia is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Antigua and Barbuda have not yet established representation in Australia.
Argentina has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
There is significant trade and investment between the two countries. Two-way merchandise trade in 2021-22 was over A$1.5 billion. In 2021 Australian investment in Argentina was valued at just over A$1 billion.[355]
The two countries have a reciprocal work and holiday visa agreement and Australia is a destination for Argentine students studying abroad.
In July 1986, President Raúl Alfonsin became the first Argentine head of state to visit Australia. In March 1998, President Carlos Menem also made a state visit to Australia. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Argentina in 2016.[356]Scott Morrison was the first Australian Prime Minister to visit Argentina during 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit.
Both countries are members of multi-national groups such as the G20 and Cairns Group and share common interests in many issues such as Antarctica and international peacekeeping.
Australia and the Bahamas enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.[357]
Australia is accredited to the Bahamas from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Australia and Barbados enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.[357]
Australia is accredited to Barbados from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[358]
The lone Australian High Commission in the Caribbean was located in Bridgetown, Barbados from 1994 to 2004, before it moved to Port of Spain. Australia also has an honorary consulate in Bridgetown.
Barbados is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Ottawa, Canada.
Australia and Belize enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia and Belize are Co-Chairs with Mauritius of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Coral Reef Protection and Restoration, and members of the International Coral Reef Initiative.[359]
Australia is accredited to Belize from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[360]
The first non-resident Australian ambassador to Bolivia presented credentials on 14 October 1975.[362]
Australia is accredited to Bolivia from its embassy in Lima, Peru and maintains an honorary consulate in La Paz.
Bolivia is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Ottawa, Canada and maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Bolivia and Australia work together, as part of the Cairns Group, on agricultural trade reform. In 2002 the Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Mark Vaile visited Santa Cruz for a Cairns Group meeting. Australia also provides a small amount of development assistance to Bolivia at local community level through its Direct Aid Program.
There is a small bilateral trade relationship. Total merchandise trade in 2020 was A$26 million, mostly comprising Bolivian food-related exports to Australia.[363] There is investment in mining services and technology.
Brazil has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, and Perth.
Brazilians form the largest migrant group from Latin America resident in Australia - see Brazilian Australians. The 2016 Australian census recorded 27,625 residents born in Brazil and 21,353 residents of Brazilian descent. As of 2020, Brazil was also the fifth largest source of international students studying in Australia.
Two-way trade in goods and services in 2021-22 was A$4.8 billion, a significant element of which was Australian exports of coal. Australian investments in Brazil in 2021 was valued at A$9.6 billion and Brazilian investments in Australia totaled almost A$5 billion.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited Brazil in 2012 and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff visited Australia for a G20 meeting in 2014. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Brazil during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
See Australia–Canada relationsAustralia House, Canada, is an example of an Australian mission (it serves as the ambassadorial residence). As Canada is a fellow Commonwealth nation, Australia maintains a High Commission there.
Australia and Canada have a longstanding relationship that has been fostered by both countries' shared history and culture as former British Dominions and present members of the Commonwealth of Nations. There are significant political, economic, academic and people-to-people links.
The Australian 2016 Census recorded 43,053 Canada-born people in Australia.[364] There is a working holiday program in place which allows young people to travel and work for set periods in each other's country.
Bilateral trade and investment is substantial. In 2019–20, two-way trade was $4.7 billion in goods and A$3 billion in services. At the end of 2019, Australian investment in Canada was valued at $83.4 billion and Canadian investment in Australia was valued at $60.7 billion.[365] Both countries are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Canada's and Australia's militaries have fought alongside each other numerous times including the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and many United Nations Security Council-sanctioned missions. To maintain this military alliance, a Canadian Defence Advisor is stationed at the High Commission in Canberra to share intelligence.[366] Australia and Canada both contributed to the International force in East Timor and both worked closely together to fight terrorism in Afghanistan. They are both members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
Canada, Australia and New Zealand have a history of working together in the United Nations (UN) on issues ranging from security to development to human rights, including through an informal grouping known as CANZ.
There are regular high level exchanges of political visits between the two countries. Australian Prime Ministers John Curtin and John Howard have addressed joint sessions of the Canadian Parliament in 1944 and 2006 respectively. In 2007 Stephen Harper became the first Canadian Prime Minister to address the Australian Parliament. Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce visited Canada in 2013.
During the Australian gold rush of the 1850s, Chile became one of Australia's major food suppliers. After 1866, however, interaction and trade was minimal until after the Second World War.[367]
The intention to exchange diplomatic representatives between the two countries was announced in April 1945. The Chilean consulate was upgraded to a legation and headed by a Chargé d'Affaires en titre from July 1945.[368] The first Australian Minister to Chile was appointed in January 1946[369] and presented credentials in August 1946. The Australian legation closed for budgetary reasons in 1949. Relations were upgraded to ambassadorial level in the 1960s when the Australian embassy was opened in 1968 and Chile reciprocated with an upgrade of its legation in 1969. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Chile see List of ambassadors of Australia to Chile.
Chile has an embassy in Canberra, consulates-general in Melbourne and Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane and Perth.
In 1993, President Patricio Aylwin became the first Chilean head of state to pay an official visit to Australia.[370] In 2004, Prime Minister John Howard became the first Australian head of government to visit Chile and to attend the APEC Summit. Governor General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Chile in 2016.[371]
There are strong people-to-people links between the two countries. The 2016 Australian census recorded 26,086 Chile-born people in Australia.[372] Australia is also a popular destination for Chilean students and there is a working holiday agreement between the two countries. See also Chilean Australians.
Australia has an embassy in Bogotá, upgraded from a consulate-general in 2017. Prior to this it was accredited on a non-resident basis from neighbouring Latin American countries. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Colombia see List of ambassadors of Australia to Colombia.
Colombia has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane, Darwin and Perth.
Economic problems and violence led to an emigration of Colombians to Australia in the 1980s. Colombians are one of the largest South American migrant groups in Australia - see Colombian Australians. The 2016 Australian census recorded 18,996 residents born in Colombia and 17,984 residents of Colombian descent. Australia is also an increasing destination for Colombians studying abroad, with almost 19,000 recorded in 2020.[374]
Two-way trade in goods and services in 2021-22 totaled A$867 million, a significant element of which was Australian educational services to Colombian students. In 2021 Australian investments in Colombia totaled A$633 million.[375]
Both armies fought alongside each other in the Korean war.
In 1884, Costa Rica opened a consular office in New South Wales.[376] Australia and Costa Rica established formal diplomatic relations in October 1974, with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident Ambassador.[377]
Australia is accredited to Costa Rica through its embassy in Mexico City. It also has an honorary consulate in San Jose.
Costa Rica opened an embassy in Canberra in 2017. It also has an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Costa Rica is Australia's second largest trading partner in Central America. Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-2020 was A$132 million, mostly Australian imports of medical instruments and other manufactured goods.[378]
Australia is accredited to Cuba from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.
Cuba has an embassy in Canberra, opened on 24 October 2008, and a consulate-general in Sydney.
Prior to a thawing of relations in the late 1980s, official exchanges between the two countries were limited and, from the early 1960s, characterized by the two countries being firmly on opposite sides of the Cold War. Australia was suspicious of Cuban internationalist activities in the Pacific and only in the 1980s was a Cuban consulate allowed to open in Sydney. This changed substantially as the Cold War began to be wound down. Full diplomatic relations were established under the Bob Hawke government in January 1989.
Since 1996, Australia has voted in favor of Cuba's annual resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for an end to the United States embargo against Cuba.
Since the 1990s, Australia has recognised the value of Cuban development engagement in the Pacific and has worked with Cuba to support the integration of Cuban-trained doctors into Pacific Island health systems.
An Australia-Cuba Business Council, set up on 2015, promotes business, sport, and cultural exchange.
There have been exchanges in recent years at senior ministerial level, with Australian foreign ministers Gareth Evans, Stephen Smith and Julie Bishop visiting Cuba in 1995, 2009 and 2017 respectively, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez visiting Australia in 2010 and Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Marcelino Medina González visiting in 2018.
Australia and Dominica enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Australia is accredited to Dominica from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Dominica has not yet established representation in Australia.
The Australian Government provided A$1.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Dominica through the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Population Fund after Hurricane Maria in 2017.[379]
Australia is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Santiago, Chile and has an honorary consulate in Guayaquil.
Ecuador has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Adelaide and Melbourne.
There is a small Ecuadorian community in Australia. The 2016 Australian census recorded 2,225 Ecuador-born residents and 2,153 residents of Ecuardorian descent. A new Work and Holiday Visa arrangement between Australia and Ecuador commenced in 2019–20.
Trade between the two countries is modest, amounting to A$93 million in 2021–22.[382] In November 2017, an Australia-Ecuador Business Summit was held in Quito to promote Australia's expertise and capacity to support Ecuador's growing mining sector.
Australia is accredited to El Salvador from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico and has an honorary consulate in San Salvador.
El Salvador has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Melbourne and honorary consulates in Brisbane and Sydney.
In response to the civil war in El Salvador, between 1983 and 1986 Australia accepted around 10,000 Salvadorans under the Special Humanitarian Program. The Salvadoran community in Australia is estimated at 20,000. Australia is home to the third largest Salvadoran community living abroad.[383] See also Salvadoran Australians.
Australia and Grenada enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Australia is accredited to Grenada from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[384]
Grenada has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
Australia and Guyana enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.[357]
Australia is accredited to Guyana from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Guyana is accredited to Australia from its high commission in Ottawa, Canada.
Bilateral merchandise trade between the two countries was A$7 million in 2019–20.[386] Guyana attended at ministerial level the 2017 Latin America Down Under Conference in Perth, to promote investment and cooperation in the mining sector.[387]
Australia and Haiti established diplomatic relations in 2000.[388]
Australia is accredited to Haiti from its High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago.
Haiti has an honorary consulate in Melbourne.
After the devastating 2010 earthquake, the Australian Government provided A$26.7 million in humanitarian assistance to Haiti which was matched by A$26 million from the Australian public. Australia has since provided further humanitarian aid to Haiti after subsequent natural disasters, including Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1984 when Mr. Cavan Hogue, Australian Ambassador presented his credentials to President of Honduras Roberto Suazo Cordova.[166]
Australia and Honduras established diplomatic relations in 1984.[389]
Australia is accredited to Honduras from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. It also has an honorary consulate in Tegucigalpa.
Honduras has not yet established representation in Australia.
Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-20 reached A$81 million, mostly Australian imports of mineral ores, coffee and textiles.[390]
Australia and Jamaica enjoy good relations through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.[357]
Australia is accredited to Jamaica from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. It has an honorary consulate in Kingston. The Australian high commission to the Caribbean was located in Kingston From 1975 until 1994, when it moved to Barbados.
Jamaica is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. It has an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-20 was valued at A$33 million, a large component of which was Australian meat exports.[391]
Australia has an embassy in Mexico City and an honorary consulate in Cancun.
Mexico has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Mexico is Australia's largest merchandise trading partner in Latin America. Two way trade in goods and services in 2021-22 was over $4.4 billion, substantially Australian imports of vehicles and other manufactures and metal ores. Australian investments in Mexico in 2021 totaled A$5.9 billion, primarily in the infrastructure and energy sectors, and Mexican investments in Australia were valued at A$0.5 billion.[393]
The two countries also work closely together on international questions through the MIKTA group, an informal middle power partnership between Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia.
In 1973, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam became the first Australian head-of-government to pay an official visit to Mexico, followed later by Prime Ministers Malcolm Fraser, John Howard and Julia Gillard in 1981, 2002 and 2012 respectively. In 1990, Carlos Salinas de Gortari became the first Mexican President to visit Australia. This was followed by President Felipe Calderón in 2007 and President Enrique Peña Nieto in 2014. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Mexico in August 2016, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.[394]
Australia and Paraguay established diplomatic relations in 1974, with the first non-resident Australian ambassador presenting his credentials on 2 December 1974.[399]
Australia is accredited to Paraguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has an honorary consulate in Asuncion.
Paraguay opened an embassy in Canberra in 2011 but this was closed in 2024. Representation is maintained through a consulate-general in Sydney.
As agricultural producers and exporters, the two countries work together to achieve fairer international trade in agricultural products through membership of the Cairns Group and co-operation in other multilateral fora. Australia is also increasing its engagement with Paraguay through development co-operation and people-to-people exchanges. An increasing number of Paraguayan students are pursuing their education at Australian institutions.[400]
Peru has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney, and honorary consulates in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.
There are growing people-to-people links between Australia and Peru. The 2016 Australian census recorded 9,553 residents born in Peru. There is a working holiday visa agreement between the two countries and Australia is a destination for Peruvian students studying abroad.
Economic ties between the two countries have developed rapidly in recent years. In 2018–19, Australia's two-way trade with Peru was worth A$656 million. A Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA) entered into force on 11 February 2020.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Peru in 2016 to attend the APEC summit.
Australia and Saint Kitts and Nevis enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident high commissioner on 6 February 1986.[401][402]
Australia is accredited to St Kitts and Nevis from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
St Kitts and Nevis have not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
Australia and Saint Lucia enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Australia is accredited to Saint Lucia from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Saint Lucia has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
Australia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident high commissioner on 31 January 1986.[404]
Australia is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[405]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Australia and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and have sporting ties, particularly cricket.
Australia has a high commission in Port of Spain which is also accredited on a non-resident basis to other Commonwealth Caribbean countries. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Trinidad and Tobago see Australian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago has not yet established representation in Australia.
Prime Minister Keith Rowley visited Australia in May 2018.
Bilateral trade reached A$75 million in 2020–21, the main elements being Australian meat and cheese exports and fertilizer imports.[408] BHP is Australia's largest investor in Trinidad and Tobago, accounting for approximately 10% of Trinidad and Tobago's oil and gas production.
While Australia has emphasised its relationship with the United States since 1942, as Britain's influence in Asia declined. At the governmental level, United-States-Australia relations are formalized by the ANZUS treaty and the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement.
Australia is accredited to Uruguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina and maintains an honorary consulate in Montevideo.
Uruguay has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
Australia and Uruguay have had consular relations since 1923 and diplomatic relations since 1948 through an exchange of notes.[409] Uruguay opened a legation in Canberra in 1958 and this was raised to embassy in 1968 with the concurrent non-resident accreditation of an Australian ambassador.
The first migrants from Uruguay came to Australia in the 1960s with growing numbers in the 1970s due to repression by the then military dictatorship in Uruguay. The 2016 Australian census reported almost 9,000 Uruguay-born residents, and over 7,800 residents of Uruguayan descent.
The two countries share a long history of collaboration to advance global reforms of agricultural trade through the Cairns Group. Australia and Uruguay also share an interest in the Antarctic waters and the fisheries therein and collaborate through the Antarctic Treaty System.
Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made an official visit to Uruguay in August 2016.[410]
During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s Australian governments were keen to promote expanded trade and investment between the two countries. Australia maintained an embassy in Caracas from 1979 until 2002. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Tim Fischer visited Caracas in June 1996 and as a result a number of key areas for development were identified including the mining, agriculture and maritime sectors.[412] However progress has been constrained by political and economic instability in Venezuela, particularly since the launch of the Bolivarian Revolution by President Hugo Chávez .
Bilateral trade is currently small, amounting to about A$20 million in 2020, mostly related to export of educational services to Venezuelan students.[413] Australia's investment interests in Venezuela have focussed on the mining and related services sectors.
There is a small Venezuelan community in Australia, expanded by skilled immigration since 2005. The 2016 Australian census recorded 5,460 Venezuela-born people in Australia.[414]
Notwithstanding Australia's decision in January 2019 to formally recognise Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela,[415][416] the embassy in Canberra representing the Nicolás Maduro Government has remained fully accredited.
An Australian service light armored vehicle drives through Tangi Valley, Afghanistan, 29 March 2011.
Australia and Afghanistan have shared a friendly and long-standing relationship which can be traced back as far as the 1860s when Afghan cameleers came to Australia to contribute to the carriage of explorers, assistance in transportation for the wool and mining industry and supporting major inland infrastructure projects such as the overland telegraph and railways. The early cameleers built the first mosques in Australia, with the oldest permanent mosque built in Adelaide in 1888.[418]The Ghan train is named in their honour.[419]
Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1969. The Australian ambassador was accredited from Islamabad and the Afghan ambassador was accredited from Tokyo.[420]
In 1975 the then Australian Governor General Sir John Kerr made the first state visit between the countries.[421]
Diplomatic relations were suspended between the 1978 coup which deposed President Mohammed Daoud Khan and the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2002. However consular relations were re-established in 1994 with the opening of an Afghan honorary consulate in Australia by the government of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The consulate continued operation after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 1996.[422]
Diplomatic relations resumed in 2002. An Afghan embassy was opened in Canberra in July 2002 by the Interim Afghan administration of Hamid Karzai. The same year, Australia resumed its non-resident accreditation from Islamabad.
An Australian embassy was opened in Kabul in 2006. It has been closed since the end of May 2021.[426] Since September 2021, an Australian Interim Mission on Afghanistan has been based in Doha, Qatar, headed by a Special Representative. For a detailed history of Australian diplomatic representation to Afghanistan see List of ambassadors of Australia to Afghanistan.
A Comprehensive Long-term Partnership Between Australia and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was signed in 2012 to provide the framework for Australian development assistance and the promotion of political, security, economic, social and cultural ties between the two nations.[427]
Between 2001 and 2021, Australia provided more than $1.5 billion in Official Development Assistance to Afghanistan[428]
Australia has also accepted many Afghan refugees, with the first wave following the Soviet invasion in 1979. According to the 2016 Australian census 46,800 Australians were born in Afghanistan - see Afghan Australians.
President Ashraf Ghani made the first visit to Australia by an Afghan head of state in April 2017. Governors-General Quentin Bryce, Peter Cosgrove and David Hurley and successive Prime Ministers visited Afghanistan in the period when Australian troops were stationed there.
Since the Taliban victory in 2021, Australia has not recognised the Islamic Emirate government and continues to accredit the embassy of the Islamic Republic in Canberra.
The Australian government recognised Armenia's independence on 26 December 1991, upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics[429] and established diplomatic relations early the following year.
Australia's ambassador is accredited from Moscow, Russia.
Armenia's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan. The first Armenian ambassador presented credentials in December 2022.
A substantial number of Australians are of Armenian descent. The Armenian community in Australia is estimated to be 50,000 people, primarily residing in Sydney and Melbourne. The first Armenians migrated to Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush. The majority came to Australia in the 1960s - 1990s from Egypt, Cyprus and Lebanon.[430] Australians of Armenian descent have attained prominence in politics, business, sport, academia and culture - see Armenian Australians.
The Armenian Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr Vardan Oskanyan, visited Australia in October 2005.
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia has not passed a motion recognising the Armenian genocide in 1915, although the State of New South Wales has done so.
The Australian government recognised Azerbaijan's independence on 26 December 1991, upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics[429] and established diplomatic relations the following year.
Australia is accredited to Azerbaijan from its embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
Azerbaijan has an embassy in Canberra.
Bilateral trade in 2021-22 was almost A$80 million, the major element being Australian imports of crude petroleum.[431]
In February 2020, the government of Azerbaijan provided material assistance to Australia to combat the impact of forest fires.[432]
Australia has long standing ties with Bahrain that predate its full independence in 1971. Australia maintained a consulate-general in Manama from 1964 to 1986.
Formal diplomatic relations were established in April 1987 with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident ambassador.[434]
Australia's ambassador is accredited from Riyadh and Bahrain's ambassador is accredited from Jakarta.
Bahrain is an important trading partner for Australia. In 2018–19, Australian merchandise exports were worth $1.43 billion. Australia's exports mainly comprised alumina, meat, dairy products and wheat.[435]
Bahrain provides port access to Australian naval ships.
The two countries participate in the Australia, Bahrain and Israel Food Security Initiative under the 2020 Abraham Accords.[436]
On 31 January 1972, Australia became the first country in the developed world to recognize Bangladesh's independence following the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War.[437] An Australian deputy high commission was opened in Dhaka in April 1969 and this was upgraded to an embassy on 31 January 1972 and then high commission following Bangladesh's admission to the Commonwealth of Nations in April 1972. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Bangladesh see List of high commissioners of Australia to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has a high commission in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney and an honorary consulate in Perth.
Since 1970, migration to Australia from Bangladesh steadily increased with the majority arriving as skilled migrants. The 2021 Census recorded more than 51,000 people born in Bangladesh living in Australia. Australia has also been an increasing destination for Bangladeshi students. In 2018, just under 7,000 Bangladeshi students enrolled to study in Australia.[438]
The two countries enjoy a competitive sporting relationship in Test Cricket.
Australia and Bangladesh work closely on a range of common strategic interests in regional and global forums, including as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. In 2008, Bangladesh signed a bilateral counter-terrorism MOU with Australia, their first with any country.
Bilateral trade in 2021-22 reached over A$3.6 billion, including A$1.5 billion in Australian imports mostly in the textile sector. Bangladesh is an important importer of Australian agricultural produce and education services. Australian investments in Bangladesh totaled A$324 million in 2021.[439]
Bangladesh is a significant recipient of foreign aid from Australia. Total official development assistance in 2023-2024 was A$116.2 million[440]
Relations between Bhutan and Australia date back to 1962 when Bhutan was just emerging from self-imposed isolation and starting to engage with the rest of the world. Australia's support at the time was instrumental in Bhutan being admitted as a member of the Colombo Plan. Subsequently, Australia was among the first countries to support and welcome Bhutan's membership to the United Nations in 1971.[442]
Australia and Bhutan established formal diplomatic relations on 14 September 2002.
Australia's ambassador is accredited from New Delhi.
Bhutan established a resident embassy in Canberra in September 2021, having previously accredited its ambassador from Bangkok. Bhutan also has an honorary consulate in Sydney.
There has been a rapid increase in recent years in Bhutanese immigration and student enrollments in Australia, resulting in Bhutan's largest diaspora.[443] More than 35,000 Bhutanese are resident in Australia as of October 2024.[444]
Australia is a modest trade and development cooperation partner to Bhutan. Total Australian Official Development Assistance to Bhutan in 2023-2024 was budgeted for A$4.9m million.[445]
In October 2016, LyonchhenTshering Tobgay made the first visit by a Bhutanese Prime Minister to Australia. His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck made the first visit by a Bhutanese head of state in October 2024.
Bilateral historical links stretch back to the Second World War when, in 1945, Australian forces landed at Muara Beach as part of the Allied campaign to liberate Borneo, and common membership of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Australia established a resident commission in Bandar Seri Begawan in March 1983 and this was upgraded to high commission in 1984 upon Brunei's full independence. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Brunei see List of high commissioners of Australia to Brunei.
Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Brunei in October 2012. This was reciprocated by the Sultan of Brunei in May 2013.[446]
Bilateral trade in merchandise and services reached A$933 million in 2018, the main element being Australian imports of crude petroleum. Australia was Brunei's fourth largest export destination in 2018. Australian investments in Brunei totaled A$77 million and Brunei investments in Australia were valued at A$114 million.[447] They are both party to the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). They are also both signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and founding members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).
Australia has an embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodia has an embassy in Canberra.
Diplomatic relations between Australia and Cambodia were established in 1952 with the appointment of an Australian Minister, resident in Saigon.[448] An Australian legation was opened in Phnom Penh in 1955.[449]
Diplomatic relations were raised to Ambassadorial level in 1959. Australia maintained relations with the Khmer Republic following the military coup of 1970. The Australian embassy closed in 1975 ahead of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge on 17 April 1975. That day, Australia recognised the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea, soon replaced by the fully Khmer Rouge-controlled government of Democratic Kampuchea, but diplomatic relations were effectively suspended during the entire period of Khmer Rouge rule.
In solidarity with ASEAN countries, Australia did not recognise the People's Republic of Cambodia following the 1979 Vietnamese invasion, and continued to recognise the Democratic Kampuchea government-in-exile. However, it withdrew recognition on 14 February 1981 in response to information about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.[450]
Australia played a leading role in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in the early 1990s. In November 1991, Australia's diplomatic presence in Phnom Penh resumed with the appointment of a Permanent Representative to the Supreme National Council of Cambodia,[451] upgraded in 1993 to Ambassador to the restored Royal Government of Cambodia.
Australia has been a substantial contributor to Cambodian development projects since the early 1990s. Cambodia and Australia signed a controversial refugee resettlement deal in September 2014.[452]
There are over 66,000 people of Cambodian origin living in Australia (2016 Census). Cambodian refugees began arriving in Australia after the Khmer Rouge regime gained power in 1975, with numbers peaking in the 1980s. Approximately 6,000-7,000 Australians reside in Cambodia, most being dual Cambodian-Australian citizens or expatriates involved in development assistance work or business.[453]
The two-way trade relationship is modest ($752 million in 2019) but has been growing quickly. Australia and Cambodia are parties to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
China has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. * Significant Chinese migration started in the middle of the nineteenth century and Chinese now form the second largest migrant community in Australia. The 2016 Australian census recorded 509,555 China-born people in Australia.[454]
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's 1973 diplomatic trip was the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister[455] This was followed over the years by regular visits of China's Paramount leaders and Premiers and Australia's Governors-General and Prime Ministers as the relationship deepened. On two occasions, in 2003[456] and 2014,[457] China's Paramount leaders have accepted rare invitations to address the Australian Parliament.
In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a "comprehensive strategic partnership"[458] A China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entered into force in December 2015.[459] China is Australia's largest two-way trading partner in goods and services. In 2020 Australia accounted for $53.5 billion (2.1%) of China's exports, ranking 13th among its top trade partners.[460] Prior to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia was a major destination for Chinese tourists and students.
Beginning in mid-2017, the relationship has significantly deteriorated. Points of friction include Australia's ban on Huawei's participation in the implementation of a 5G network on national security grounds; new Australian foreign investment and anti-espionage laws; Australian criticism of China in relation to its stance on the South China Sea dispute, the treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and changes in electoral and security laws in Hong Kong; a new defence pact between Australia and Japan and reactivation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with the United States, Japan and India; Australia's lead in calling for an independent international investigation into the origins of COVID-19; and the formation of AUKUS in September 2021, under which the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.[461] By 2020 China had suspended all high-level diplomatic and trade dialogue channels and halted trade in a number of economically important sectors.[462]
In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including Australia, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's human rights abuses of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups, urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang internment camps.[463]
In November 2020 the Chinese embassy in Australia released to the media a long list of grievances, which were promptly rejected by the Australian Government.[464] Through 2021 and much of 2022, relations between the two countries remained tense.[465] Following the election of the Albanese government in May 2022, leader and ministerial contacts restarted,[466] and regular leaders' meetings under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership have resumed from 2023.
Australians` trust in China has plunged. The 2021 Lowy Institute Poll, released in June 2021, found only 16 per cent of Australian respondents trusted China "a great deal" or "somewhat" to act responsibly in the world – a third of the number from 2018.[467]
Australia recognised Georgia's independence and established diplomatic relations in 1992.
Australia's embassy in Turkey is accredited to Georgia. Georgia has an embassy in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Melbourne.
In 2008 Australia provided $1 million in humanitarian aid to Georgia in the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian War. Australia has supported Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in international fora and does not recognise the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia established with Russian support.
There is a small community of Georgian-born people in Australia and modest trade relations.[468]
India established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1941, six years before its independence. The Australian Government subsequently supported the independence of India and Pakistan from the British Empire.[470]
India and Australia share close historical ties, with both countries being former British colonies and members of the Commonwealth of Nations. They also share close sporting ties, with both countries sharing their passion for cricket.[471] They also compete against each other in field hockey and in the Commonwealth Games.
Economic relations between the two nations is strong, with India being Australia's fourth largest export partner and the eighth largest trading partner.[472]
In 1963 Australia provide defence aid to India in the face of Chinese action.[473]
In 2009, relations were strained between the two nations by attacks on Indian students (termed Curry Bashings) in Melbourne.[474] Police denied any racial motivation, but this was viewed differently by the Government of India leading to high-level meetings with Australian officials.[475]
The persistent refusal of Australia to sell uranium to India due to the latter not being a signatory to the NPT has also hampered bilateral relations. However, this policy was reversed in 2011.[476]
On 4 June 2020, India and Australia signed an agreement to provide access to one another's military bases, in order to help facilitate joint military exercises. Known as the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, it allows each country to use the other's bases for the refuelling and maintenance of aircraft and naval vessels.[477] The agreement was reached over a virtual summit between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[478]
PM Albanese attended the 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket Event hosted by PM Modi in March 2023 to celebrate 75 years of strong diplomatic and cricketing ties between the two nations. During this trip, Albanese visited New Delhi to attend the Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit. During the visit, he also led a trade delegation, which included Trade Minister Don Farrell and Resources Minister Madeleine King, after the implementation of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India on 29 December 2022.
Bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries are among their most important.
Australia was supportive of Indonesian independence after World War II, particularly after giving de facto recognition to the Republican government of Indonesia on 9 July 1947,[479] and subsequently advocated for it in the United Nations. Australia recognized the United States of Indonesia on 27 December 1949, immediately following the completion that day of transfer of sovereignty by the Netherlands.[480] Diplomatic relations were formally established on 17 March 1950 and the Australian consulate-general in Jakarta was raised to an embassy.[481] An Indonesian embassy was opened in Canberra in April 1950.
The relationship has gone through some strained periods, despite which both countries sought to avoid ruptures and Australia has maintained a significant development aid program since Indonesian independence.
Throughout the 1950s Australia did not recognize Indonesian claims to Western New Guinea though by the early 1960s it became reconciled to Indonesian administration and recognized the results of the controversial 1969 Act of Free Choice whereby Indonesia assumed full sovereignty over the territory. While in subsequent decades the Australian government has taken care to reassure Indonesia with regard to its full support for Indonesian territorial integrity, there continues to be an important constituency within Australia supporting Western New Guinea self-determination and the switch of Australian policy on East Timor remains a cautionary example for Indonesian politicians.
Australia vigorously supported Malaysia during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation during 1963-1966, contributing to the Commonwealth military forces supporting Malaysia.
Australia was suspicious of President Sukarno's flirtation with the Communist Party of Indonesia and relations stabilized and grew closer following President Suharto's rise to power in 1966 and adoption of a strong anti-communist stance.
Australia and Indonesia share the world’s longest maritime boundary and are naturally close maritime partners. In 1971 and 1972, Australia and Indonesia agreed to maritime boundaries establishing the limits of their respective continental shelves.
The Whitlam government and Fraser government supported Indonesia's seizure of Portuguese Timor in 1975, and Australia granted de facto recognition in January 1978 and de jure recognition effectively by early 1979 when seabed boundary negotiations for the East Timor sector and Australian ministerial visits to the territory commenced. This was not formally confirmed until the mid 1980s under the Hawke government.[482] The Timor Gap Zone of Co-operation Treaty was signed in December 1989. In late 1998, the Howard government advised Indonesia of a change in policy, advocating for a referendum in East Timor in which independence was an option. Public anger in Australia towards the Indonesian military and paramilitary violence in the province during the 1999 East Timorese crisis was followed by an Australian-led international peace-keeping force taking control of the territory in the lead up to formal independence.
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake prompted a significant humanitarian response from Australia, including a A$1 billion aid package for Indonesia from the Australian federal government supplemented by over A$150 million in aid from state government and private contributions.
Australia’s development partnership with Indonesia has continued and the annual budget in 2022-23 was $307.3 million. An A$200 million Australia-Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following his visit to Jakarta in June 2022.[483]
The Australia-Indonesia relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018. Regular high level dialogue is maintained through the Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting; Foreign and Defence Ministers' 2+2 Meeting; Ministerial Council on Law and Security; Economic, Trade and Investment Ministers' Meeting; Economic Policy Dialogue and the Ministerial Energy Dialogue. In February 2020 President Joko Widodo addressed the Australian Parliament during a state visit celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations.[484]
Security cooperation has been defined through a series of Australia–Indonesia Security Agreements, most significantly the Lombok Treaty signed in 2006. Australia and Indonesia work closely together to combat people smuggling and human trafficking, including by co-chairing the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.
The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) creates the framework to promote closer economic engagement between the two countries. In 2022 Australia's goods and services exports to Indonesia totaled A$14.6 billion and imports totaled A$8.7 billion including A$2.7 billion in Australian tourism earnings. In 2022 Australian investment in Indonesian stocks totaled just over A$3 billion, and Indonesian investment in Australian stocks totaled over A$800 million.[485]
There are long-standing family, cultural, sporting education, and tourism connections between the two nations. At the end of June 2021, 89,480 Indonesian-born people were living in Australia (see Indonesian Australians).[486] In 2022 almost 17,000 Indonesians were studying in Australia. The two countries are among the top destinations for tourism for each.[487]
On 29 June 1968 Australia announced that it had agreed with Iran to establish diplomatic relations.[488] An Australian embassy was established in Tehran with the first Australian ambassador presenting credentials on 21 September 1968.[489] Iran has had an embassy in Canberra since 1971.
Governor-General Paul Hasluck attended the Iranian monarchy's 2500th anniversary celebrations in October 1971.[490] The then Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made a state visit to Australia in September 1974 to promote economic, scientific and political cooperation between the two countries.[491] This was reciprocated in March 1975 by the visit of Australian Governor-General John Kerr.[492]
Diplomatic relations have been maintained without interruption through the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the replacement of the monarchy with an Islamic republic.
Two-way trade has diminished in recent years but the value of Australia's two-way goods and services trade with Iran was $319 million in the 2019-20 financial year. Traditionally, Iran has been one of Australia's leading wheat export destinations, and other primary exports include wool and meat.[493]
Australia, like most Western countries, has expressed concerns about Iran's human-rights record and its nuclear-weapons program.[494] Although not a signatory to the agreement, Australia supports the objectives of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It continues to implement certain sanctions in respect of Iran, pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) and Australia's autonomous sanctions regime.
Migration from Iran to Australia has mainly occurred since the early 1980s and particularly in the 21st century. The 2016 census recorded 58,112 Iran-born people in Australia, with most settled in New South Wales and Victoria.[495]
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 December 1973[117]
Australia and Iraq have had relations in various forms since 1938, but formal diplomatic relations were established in December 1973, with the accreditation of the Australian Ambassador in Beirut on a non-resident basis.
Australia opened an embassy in Baghdad in 1976 and Iraq established an embassy in Canberra in 1995. The Australian embassy closed in 1991 just prior to the start of the 1991 Gulf War. The Iraqi embassy closed in 2003 ahead of the US-led invasion. Both countries reopened their embassies in 2004. Iraq has a Consulate-General in Sydney and the Kurdish Regional Government retains a representative office, also in Sydney.[496]
The relationship during the Saddam Hussein era was complex, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s with Australian efforts to promote trading links competing, sometimes diametrically (see AWB oil-for-wheat scandal), with support for diplomatic and military actions against the Iraqi government. Australian participation in the 1991 Gulf War was followed by the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq as part of the United States-led coalition. Bilateral relations have improved significantly following the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Total merchandise trade between Australia and Iraq in 2018 – 2019 was over $201 million. Historically, Australia's primary commercial interest in Iraq has been wheat, which it has exported to Iraq for over 50 years.[496]
Between 2003 and 2014, Australia provided $382 million in development and humanitarian assistance to Iraq to re-establish services to over 1.3 million people, including over half a million refugees and internally displaced people. This was in addition to $987 million in debt relief to support Iraq's transition to a stable and democratic nation after decades of war and dictatorship. Australia has worked in partnership with the Government of Iraq to improve the management of water, agriculture research, rural development, public sector governance, education, landmine clearance and basic services delivery.
Australia is contributing to capacity building missions with the Iraqi Army, law enforcement personnel, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service and the NATO Training Mission headquarters in Iraq.
There is a sizeable Iraqi community in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Migration Australia data, at 23 October 2017, 67,355 people born in Iraq were living in Australia. The resettlement of Iraqis who have fled their home country remains a priority within Australia's offshore Humanitarian Programme.[497]
In 2009 Nouri al-Maliki became the first Iraqi prime minister to visit Australia. He and then Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd signed a declaration to increase co-operation and to strengthen trade and investment ties.[498]
In the post-Saddam era there have been frequent high level visits of Australian Governors-General and Prime Ministers to Iraq, combined with visits to Australian Defence Force personnel stationed in the country.
Australia and Israel share a close relationship with significant people-to-people links and broad commercial engagement. Australia was the first country to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution, which ultimately led to the creation of Israel as a nation state.[499]
The Australian Government formally recognised Israel on 28 January 1949.[500] The Australian Legation in Tel Aviv, and the Israeli Legation in Canberra, were both opened in that year.[501] Diplomatic relations were raised to ambassadorial level in 1960.
Australia is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state co‑exist, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders. In December 2018, Australia recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but this was reversed by the Albanese government in October 2022[502][503]
The Australian-Jewish community, which numbers about 91,000 (2016 census), is an important element of Australia's relationship with Israel. There are approximately 10,000 Israeli-born people living in Australia and about 10–12,000 Australians living in Israel.
Australia and Israel have a growing bilateral economic relationship. In 2019–20, two-way goods and services trade amounted to approximately $1.3 billion. In February 2017, Australia and Israel signed a Technological Innovation Cooperation Agreement. Since 2017, Australia and Israel have expanded cooperation on national security, defence and cyber security.
Israeli President Chaim Herzog made the first visit by a serving Israeli President to Australia in November 1986. This was followed in 2005 and 2020 by Presidents Moshe Katsav and Reuven Rivlin. In January 1987, Prime Minister Bob Hawke made the first visit to Israel by a serving Australian Prime Minister. This was followed by subsequent Prime Ministerial visits in 1995, 2000 and 2017. In February 2017, Benjamin Netanyahu became the first incumbent Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia.[504]
Australia-Japan relations are generally warm, substantial and driven by mutual interests, and have expanded beyond strong economic and commercial links to other spheres, including culture, tourism, defence and scientific co-operation.
Australia has an embassy in Amman, established in 1979 and Jordan has an embassy in Canberra, established in 1976.
Australia and Jordan have long standing friendly relations reflected in diverse political, cultural and economic links. His Majesty King Hussein made the first visit by an Arab Head of State to Australia in March 1976.[505] His Majesty King Abdullah visited in November 2016. Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Jordan in October 2017. There have also been regular exchanges at senior ministerial level.
In 2019–20, two‑way goods and services trade was $285 million (A$198 million in exports to Jordan and A$86 million in imports from Jordan).[506]
Since 2017, as part of Australia's response to the Syria crisis, it has provided over A$105 million in support of refugees and their host communities in Jordan.
Australia recognised Kazakhstan's independence on 26 December 1991[429] upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and established diplomatic relations the following year.
The Australian ambassador to Kazakhstan is accredited from Moscow. Australia opened an embassy in Almaty in 1995 but this closed in 1999 due to resource constraints. It has an honorary consulate in Almaty.
Kazakhstan is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Singapore. It has a consulate-general in Sydney, opened in 2015, and honorary consulates in Melbourne and Perth.
There have been a number of high level visits between the two countries to sign co-operation agreements: Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko visited Australia in 1993; Governor-General Bill Hayden visited Kazakhstan in 1993; President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Australia in 1996. The countries signed an agreement on economic and commercial cooperation, which came into force on 2 June 2004.
Kazakhstan is Australia's leading trading partner in Central Asia, however, the level of trade remains modest. Two-way goods and services trade in 2020-21 was worth A$35.2 million. Australian investment in Kazakhstan totalled AUD131 million in 2021.[507]
Diplomatic relations between Australia and Kuwait were established in 1974 with the accreditation of the Australian ambassador in Riyadh on a non-resident basis. Australia opened an embassy in Kuwait City in December 2004.
Kuwait opened an embassy in Canberra in January 2002 and a Cultural Office in Canberra in 2008.
Australia supported Kuwait's independence and territorial integrity with its contribution to the coalition force which in 1991 liberated Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation.
Kuwait's investments in Australia are estimated at over A$13.4 billion (2019). Two-way trade amounted to A$664 million in 2019. Kuwait is a significant market for Australian exports of wheat and live sheep. It is also an important market for Australian education and tourism services. About 1,000 Australians reside in Kuwait, employed mainly in the education, banking, oil and gas and security industries.[508]
In May 2016, the then Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Kuwait.[509]
Australia recognised Kyrgyzstan's independence on 26 December 1991[429] upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and established diplomatic relations the following year.
Australia is represented in Kyrgyzstan by its embassy in Moscow.
Kyrgyzstan is represented in Australia by its embassy in Tokyo. The first Kyrgyz ambassador presented credentials in September 2021.
Diplomatic relations between Australia and Laos were established in 1952 with the appointment of an Australian Minister, resident in Saigon.[448] This is the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship Laos has with any country.[510]
Australia has an embassy in Vientiane. This was established as a legation in December 1960.[511] Relations were raised to full Ambassadorial level in January 1963.[512] The embassy has remained open throughout the political changes in Laos, in particular the abolition of the monarchy and establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975.
Laos has an embassy in Canberra.
Australia is a long-standing development, trade and investment partner to Laos. In 2019-20 Australia provided $45 .3 million in total Official Development Assistance to Laos. This included $25 .6 million in bilateral funding. In February 2022, Australia committed to a substantial increase in assistance.[513]
Two-way trade in goods and services was worth $13 9 million in 2019 -20. An agreement on the promotion and protection of investment between Australia and Laos has been in place since 1995. Australia and Laos are parties to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA). The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Laos (AustCham Lao) was established in 2005 – the first international chamber of commerce in the country.[510]
At the time of the 2016 national census, more than 15,000 people in the Australian community identified as having Lao ancestry. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia was a favored destination for Lao students studying abroad.
74,000 Lebanese-born people live in Australia, mainly in Sydney, and there are more people of Lebanese descent including Marie Bashir, Steve Bracks and Hazem El Masri.
Australia has a modest trade relationship with Lebanon and has also given foreign aid in the aftermath of the Lebanese civil war[514] of 1975–1990.
Diplomatic relations were formalized in early 1974, with Australia's first non-resident ambassador presenting credentials on 17 February 1974.[516] With Maldives joining the Commonwealth of Nations in 1983 and rejoining in 2020 after its withdrawal in 2016, the two countries representatives have been high commissioners.
Australia has a high commission in Malé, opened in 2023.[517][518] This was part of a series of measures initiated in 2022 by the Morrison Government to enhance Australia's bilateral relations in the North-East Indian Ocean sub-region.[519]
The Maldives high commissioner is accredited on a non-resident basis from Colombo. It has an honorary consulate-general in Melbourne.
Total bilateral trade was A$160 million in 2018, of which A$46 million was Australian merchandise exports, mainly food and beverage. Australia is also a development partner, supporting projects related to climate change, governance and maritime safety, and is a significant source of educational scholarships to Maldivian students. The total Australian Official Development Assistance to Maldives in 2019-20 had a budget of A$2.6 million.[520]
Australia recognised Mongolia as independent from the Republic of China (Taiwan) in February 1967, despite Taiwanese objections.[522]
Australia and Mongolia established formal diplomatic relations in 1972 as part of a broadening of Australian relations with Comecon countries in the early 1970s. Initially representation by both countries was on a non-resident basis.
Australia opened a consulate-general in Ulaanbaatar in March 2012, and this was upgraded to an embassy in December 2015. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Mongolia, see List of ambassadors of Australia to Mongolia.
Mongolia maintains an embassy in Canberra, opened in 2008, and honorary consulates in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Relations have grown stronger in recent years with free-market reforms in Mongolia. The focus of the bilateral relationship has primarily been on education, development assistance and commercial activities in Mongolia's resources sector.
The Governor-General of Australia Bill Hayden visited Mongolia in 1994, and the President of Mongolia Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat visited Australia in 1997. In February 2011, then-Prime Minister of Mongolia Sükhbaataryn Batbold became the first Mongolian head of government to visit Australia.
Bilateral trade between Australia and Mongolia is modest. Two-way merchandise trade totalled $45.2 million in 2019–20, with Australian exports accounting for the majority of trade ($43.2 million).[523]
Australia has an embassy in Kathmandu, opened in 1984.
Nepal has an embassy in Canberra, opened in March 2007,[524] and honorary consulates-general in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Australia and Nepal have had a long-standing friendly bilateral relationship under both royal and republican Nepalese governments. King Mahendra of Nepal made a state visit to Australia in April 1971[525] and his son King Birendra made a state visit to Australia in September 1985.[526] In February 1975 Australian Governor-General John Kerr visited Nepal to attend the coronation of King Birendra of Nepal, one of the first overseas representational visits of its kind by any Australian Governor-General outside the Commonwealth of Nations.[527]
There is a large community of Nepalis in Australia. At the end of June 2020, 131,830 Nepalese−born people were living in Australia, and over 55,000 Nepali international students were studying in Australia in 2022.[528]
Australia is a development partner and source of disaster-relief assistance to Nepal. In 2022–23, Australia is budgeted to provide an estimated A$26.6 million in official development assistance.
Bilateral trade totaled approximately A$2.34 billion in 2021, mostly Australian exports of educational services.[529]
Diplomatic relations are stressed due to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Since October 2006 visas have not been issued for North Korean citizens and North Korean ships have been banned from Australia's ports. Economically, relations are more modest; North Korea ranks 125th in the order of Australia's trade partners, with two-way trade valued between A$6–11 million. On 22 April 2017, North Korea threatened Australia with a nuclear strike.
The Australian ambassador in Riyadh is accredited to Oman on a non-resident basis. Australia has an honorary consulate in Muscat.
Oman established an embassy in Canberra in January 2024.
Australia and Oman cooperate closely in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
Australia's two-way goods and services trade with Oman totalled $615.0 million in 2018–19. Australia's principle exports include meat, wheat and livestock. There are eight formal agreements between Australian and Omani universities to facilitate student and academic exchange, and research collaboration. The Sultan of Oman Endowed Chair in Arab and Islamic Studies was established in 2003 at the University of Melbourne.[530]
Relations with Pakistan started before partition. Australia supported India and Pakistan's independence.[470]
In 1960, Australia provided A£11 million in aid to Pakistan as part of the Indus Waters Treaty.[531]
The relations between the two countries have been friendly, with former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf having visited Australia in 2005[532] and the former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, also having extended a visit to Pakistan in 2005 as well, following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake which had immensely targeted the northern areas of Pakistan. He also announced 500 new scholarships for students in Pakistan to study in Australia.[533]
Australia does not recognise a Palestinian state but has committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders.
Australia has a Representative Office in Ramallah, opened in September 2000, and the Palestinian Authority has a Representative Office in Canberra.
Palestinian migration to Australia has tended to reflect events in Israel and the Middle East. Migration waves occurred during the 1948 Arab-Israel War, 1967 Arab-Israel War and occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and war in Lebanon in the 1970s and 1980s. Another wave of migration to Australia occurred following the 1991 Gulf War. The 2016 Australian census recorded 2,932 residents born in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[534] However, there is a larger diaspora of Palestinians born in Israel or in Arab countries in which they were born or first settled as refugees before migrating to Australia. Over 13,000 Australian residents identify themselves as having Palestinian ancestry.[535] See also Palestinian Australians.
Australia provides development and humanitarian assistance to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Australian Government has budgeted an estimated A$27.1 million to the Palestinian Territories in 2022–23, of which A$10 million is allocated to UNRWA.[536]
Australia and the Philippines have long-standing links dating back to the 19th century, including wartime alliance during World War II.
The Philippines government evacuated to Australia in March 1942 following the Japanese invasion. Before departing for the United States, President Manuel L. Quezon met with Prime Minister John Curtin and the Commonwealth War Advisory Council in Melbourne[537] Australian military forces subsequently contributed to the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
Australia established a consulate-general in Manila in May 1946, prior to the Philippines' independence from the United States.[538] This was reciprocated by the Philippines in February 1948.
Formal diplomatic relations were established on 17 March 1950 when both countries raised their consulates-general to legations.[539] Relations were raised to ambassadorial level on 6 December 1955.[540]
Philippines has an embassy in Canberra, consulates general in Sydney and Melbourne, an honorary consulate general in Darwin and honorary consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Perth.
There are regular official exchanges of leadership visits. Prime Minister Robert Menzies became the first Australian Prime Minister to make an official visit to the Philippines in April 1957, at which time he was given the honor to address a joint session of the Philippines Congress. President Ferdinand Marcos's visit to Australia in December 1967 to attend a memorial service for Harold Holt has been followed since by a number of Presidential visits to Australia. On 29 February 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr became the first Philippine President to address a joint session of the Australian Parliament.[542]
In September 2023, during the most recent official visit of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australia and the Philippines elevated their longstanding relationship to a Strategic Partnership.[543]
Since the 1970s a significant community of Philippines-born residents and their descendants has grown in Australia. Over 400,000 Australians have Filipino heritage. Australia is the number one destination for Filipino students studying abroad. In 2022, 17,976 Filipino students studied in Australia.[544]
The two countries are important trade partners. In 2021–22, Australia's two-way trade with the Philippines was valued at A$8.2 billion.
The development cooperation partnership has a longstanding focus on education, peace and security, and disaster and climate resilience. In 2023-24 total overseas development assistance to the Philippines is estimated at A$89.9 million. Long term military ties were augmented in 2019 under an Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program.
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