17 January 2025: The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Albanese and Wong welcome ceasefire agreement in Gaza; Marles to visit to Kiribati and Solomon Islands; additional support for Vanuatu earthquake recovery, and more.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong to welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza on 16 January. The agreement comes after 15 months of conflict and a devastating loss of civilian life, and is seen as “a constructive step towards peace and stability in the region.” Albanese has said it “must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people.” According to the statement, “Australia remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas’ atrocities on 7 October, and its ongoing acts of terror. There must be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security.” Australia’s position remaines the creation of “a two-state solution – a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.”
On 17 January, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles announced a visit to Kiribati and Solomon Islands for high-level talks. In Kiribati, Marles will “meet the Vice President Teuea Toatu to discuss Australia and Kiribati’s economic, development and strategic priorities, including maritime security.” While there he will also “attend the commissioning of Guardian-class Patrol Boat RKS Tobwaan Mainiku. The new vessel, delivered last year, is the second to enter service with Kiribati, joining RKS Teanoai II, and will enhance Kiribati’s ability to protect and patrol its vast exclusive economic zone.” Additionally, Marles will open the new Australian High Commission Chancery in Tarawa. In Solomon Islands, Marles will meet with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and other ministers. This visit comes after Albanese and Manele announced in December “Australia’s support to grow the size and capability of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, reflecting Australia’s role as Solomon Islands’ security partner of choice. The Deputy Prime Minister will discuss our countries’ shared vision for a transformational Australia–Solomon Islands partnership, based on mutual trust, respect and open dialogue. It will be his third visit to Solomon Islands as Deputy Prime Minister.”
Wong joined Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy on 11 January to announce additional support for Vanuatu earthquake recovery. The 7.3-magnitude earthquake, which took place on 17 December 2024, has claimed 14 lives and impacted an estimated 80,000 people. “The $10 million package will focus on the education, health and transport sectors, addressing critical Vanuatu Government priorities. It will be delivered through local systems and partners to ensure local ownership and long-term sustainability.” According to the statement, “Australia’s assistance will also help strengthen Vanuatu’s resilience against future disasters and support vulnerable groups including women, children and people with disability.” Further assistance will support the restoration of essential services and infrastructure. The new package adds to Australia’s initial $7 million package of practical humanitarian assistance, “which included emergency supplies, funding to humanitarian partners, and the deployment of Australia Assists personnel, Australian Medical Assistance Teams and a Disaster Assistance Response Team.”
On 31 December 2024, Wong joined the secretary of state of the United States of America and the foreign ministers of India and Japan in a joint statement commemorating the 20th anniversary of Quad cooperation. The Quad—comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States—was formed in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a catastrophic disaster that spurred joint humanitarian efforts to aid millions. Over time, the partnership has expanded into a platform addressing regional challenges such as disaster preparedness, climate change, critical technologies, maritime security, and counter-terrorism. The Quad remains committed to promoting a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, supporting Pacific-led initiatives and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. With annual leadership meetings since 2021, the Quad continues to strengthen regional stability, collaboration, and rapid responses to emerging needs. The statement continues, “we reaffirm our unwavering support for ASEAN’s centrality and unity as well as mainstreaming and implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We also steadfast in our support for the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the region’s premier organization.”
Dr Adam Bartley is the managing editor for AIIA’s Australian Outlook and weekly columnist for The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and non-resident fellow at the Elliot School for International Affairs, the George Washington University. Adam also has positions as post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation RMIT University and as program manager of the AI Trilateral Experts Group. He can be found on Twitter here.
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