This week in Australian foreign affairs: The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence travel to Japan; Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travels to Singapore; in a joint statement Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom voice their concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and the protection of aid workers; and more.
On 5 April the Foreign Ministers of Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Türkiye, and Australia released a joint statement condemning the killing of Indonesian peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The statement said:
“The MIKTA Foreign Ministers express their deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims, as well as to Indonesia. They wish a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.
Attacks on UN peacekeepers and aid workers are unacceptable and violate international law, particularly international humanitarian law. They must never be the target of an attack. The members of MIKTA stand in solidarity with Indonesia and fully support its call for an immediate, thorough and transparent investigation of the attacks.”
On 7 April it was announced that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, will travel to Japan this week to meet with Japanese Minister of Defense, Koizumi Shinjiro. During their meeting in Tokyo, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Koizumi will convene a ministerial meeting under the Framework for Strategic Defence Coordination. In a media release, the ministers are said to discuss “important developments in the global and regional security environment, including how Australia and Japan can utilise our indispensable and growing partnership to ensure we are best prepared to respond to common challenges.” The media release also said “Australia and Japan’s relationship is long and enduring, shaped by decades of close cooperation and engagement. Our relationship is underpinned by a shared vision for regional security and a commitment to strengthening our Special Strategic Partnership.”
On 7 April it was announced that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Singapore from 9 to 11 April 2026 where he will meet with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The leaders are expected to discuss “securing trade in essential supplies”, especially petroleum oils. These talks will no doubt prove to be important for both nations at a time of growing trade instability following the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. Australia is Singapore’s second largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and Singapore while Singapore is Australia’s largest supplier of refined petroleum products. The Prime Minister is quoted as saying “Australia is currently in a secure position, however engaging with international partners is an important part of keeping our fuel supply flowing.”
On 8 April the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong released a joint media statement welcoming the two-week ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran. This follows the Government’s repeated calls for de-escalation of the growing conflict in the Middle East which saw oil and civilian unfractured struck across the region. The statement went on to state “We thank and support the work of negotiators, including Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, in advancing de-escalation efforts. Australia wants to see the ceasefire upheld and a resolution to the conflict. We continue to call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilian life.”
On 8 April during a television interview on Sky NewsDay, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed Australia’s stance on the conflict in the Middle East by stating “We’ve said very clearly that the conduct of any conflict must be within international law and that provides for making sure that civilians – who aren’t parties to the conflict – are given every protection possible.” The Prime Minister then went on to discuss the relationship between Australia and China, stating that “China, we know, is our most important trading partner.” and that he and the Chinese Premier, Li Qiang, had had a “certainly a positive discussion about the importance of trade between our two nations”
On 9 April Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom released a joint statement voicing their concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and the protection of aid workers. The statement comes following a massive attack by Israel that targeted Beirut and other locations in southern Lebonon, killing at least 254 and wounding hundreds more. In the statement leaders condemned the “actions that have killed UN peace keepers and significantly increased the risks faced by humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon.” and called for “Meaningful accountability and justice”.
Alexandra Desailly is an Australian Outlook Intern at the Australian Institute of International Affairs National Office. She is one of thirty selected for the Young Australians in International Affairs (YAIA) Emerging Leaders Dialogues and the winner of the YAIA Policy Pitch Competition. She holds a Bachelor of International Studies with Distinction from UNSW; her work focuses on European current affairs, national security, and diplomacy.
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