This week in Australian foreign affairs: joint statement on Houthi attacks, Wong in Jordan, Israel, and Occupied Palestinian Territories, humanitarian assistance gets a boost, and more. 

On the 12 January, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a joint statement with the governments from Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States on the ongoing situation in the Red Sea. The statement highlighted the “continued illegal, dangerous, and destabilising Houthi attacks against vessels, including commercial shipping.” In addressing these challenges, “the armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from the Netherlands, Canada, Bahrain, and Australia, conducted joint strikes in accordance with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence, consistent with the UN Charter, against a number of targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.” The leaders note that “precision strikes” were employed “to disrupt and degrade the capabilities the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of international mariners in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”

The agreement further outlined the “shared commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending the lives of mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks.” From Geelong, Victoria, Defence Minister Richard Marles outlined that Australia’s continued support and action would aid partners in “maintaining freedom of navigation on the high seas” and “global trade,” noting further that such actions were “completely central to Australia’s national interests.”

Also on 12 January, Marles, in response to the riots in Papua New Guinea (PNG), noted that events had improved since the day before, and that “the government is monitoring this very closely.” He remarked further that the government was in “constant dialogue with the PNG government,” and there “there have been some small requests for assistance; a contracted helicopter to the PNG Defence Force [and] accommodation for some PNG police.”  The Australian government “will continue to work with PNG and to meet any requests for assistance as a close friend,” he said.

On Taiwan’s presidential elections, the prime minister reiterated on 15 January that the Australian government had congratulated Dr Lai Ching-te on his successful election. In responding to questions about China’s response to this, Albanese remarked that “Australia’s position is we respect these processes and we support the outcomes.” He noted further that “there was very high participation in that election,” and that this had “resulted in Dr William Lai being elected. We’ll continue to work on what is an important relationship, consistent though with our long standing and bipartisan one China policy that we have.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong this week travelled to Jordan, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and United Arab Emirates “to support international diplomatic efforts towards a durable peace in the Middle East.” In Amman, Wong announced that Australian would seek opportunities “to enhance coordination to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to discuss international efforts to re-start a political process that leads to a future Palestinian state.” Wong also stated at prior to leaving that she would be stopping in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There, the foreign minister will seek to reaffirm Australia’s “close friendship and welcome the commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.” The announcement on 15 January further noted that the “UAE is an important partner that plays a key role in regional security.” Wong will also visit “Australian defence personnel based in the UAE, who have played a key role in the return of Australians caught up in this conflict, and in recent unrest in Sudan.”

At press conference in Israel on 18 January, the foreign minister highlighted talks with the prime minister of Israel, the foreign minister, the national security adviser, and the Chair of the Foreign and Defence Committee in the Knesset. Wong repeated Australia’s condemnation of the October 7 attacks and “called for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.” The foreign minister spoke further “about the importance of a humanitarian ceasefire,” noting that this “cannot be one-sided, and that we want to see steps towards a sustainable ceasefire.” During the trip to Israel Wong also met and spoke with families of the hostages as well as Palestinians.

In a joint media release with Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy on 16 January, Wong announced that Australia “will provide an additional $21.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the Middle East, including in response to the urgent and ongoing humanitarian needs resulting from the Hamas-Israel conflict.” The fund will include “$4 million to the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to continue delivering urgent and emergency services and supplies. $6 million will be dedicated to the “United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), to provide urgent lifesaving assistance including food, shelter and emergency health care.” Another “$11.5 million to refugee programs in Lebanon and Jordan.” This brings Australian humanitarian contributions to the region since the Hamas terror attacks on 7 October to more than AUD$46 million.

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

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