This week in Australian foreign affairs: new NZ PM Hipkins to visit Australia, Albanese to deliver keynote address at Shangri-La Dialogue, Marles and Wong travel to France and UK for 2+2 and AUKMIN, and more.

Since US recognition of Bangladesh’s independence in 1972, the trajectory of the relationship has witnessed a consistent upward trend. In 2022, both countries celebrated the auspicious event of 50 years bilateral relations.

The choices for the next president of Nigeria are stark and few. Moving beyond the turmoil of insecurity, poverty, government largesse, and anaemic economic growth will require a bold leader, not more of the same. 

The significant rise in defence and security ties between India and Australia has led to an ease in dealing with their responsibilities in multilateral regional forums. The institutionalisation of cooperation has also become more strategic.

There is a possible basis for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. This would involve a UN-supervised referendum for the residents in each of the disputed territories.

This month marks one year since the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and the subsequent tsunami that devastated Tonga. Australia, Tonga, and other partners have worked long and hard over the past year to restore Tonga’s agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, and the livelihoods of its people. 

Although politicians claimed political stability was the driving force behind the new Constitution in 2015, Nepal has witnessed six changes of government in the last seven years. Economic recovery, from both the devasting 2015 earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic, will be a long process.

Australian foreign policy could take some cues from Vietnam. A flexible diplomacy with the ability to shift alignments in the interests of national security is what Australia needs. 

Was Davos a success? Did the five-day meeting of over 2,500 world leaders in the Swiss Alpine resort achieve any tangible solutions to the myriad of crises that the secretary-general of the United Nations described as a “perfect storm”?

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Wong acknowledges fourth year of Dr Yang Jun’s detention; 50th anniversary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; Watts heads to Vienna; and more.