This week in Australian foreign affairs: Albanese Joins PMs from Canada and New Zealand in statement on Gaza; Wong launches Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre; Wong in Tokyo for Quad Ministers Meeting; World Day against Trafficking in Persons, and more.

On 26 July, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a joint statement with the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand “on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel.” The statement noted the catastrophic situation in Gaza and the human suffering, calling on Hamas to “lay down its arms and release all hostages” and for Israel to “listen to the concerns of the international community.” The statement also notes with particular concern the potential for escalation across the region, and between the terror group Hizballah and Israel. “This escalation in hostilities only makes a ceasefire in Gaza more urgent. We urge all involved actors to exercise restraint and de-escalate. We support diplomatic efforts to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. A wider scale war would have disastrous consequences for Israel and Lebanon, and for civilians across the region,” the statement reads.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong this week Travelled to Laos, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. In Lao, Wong attended ASEAN meetings, including the ASEAN-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laos, where she will progress outcomes agreed at the Special Summit held earlier this year in Melbourne. In Laos, Wong will also “attend the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum, which provide important platforms for cooperation with ASEAN on regional priorities.” In Tokyo, Wong attended the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, more on which is below. While in the ROK, Wong will meet with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Seoul to progress implementation of the outcomes from the May 2+2 meeting in Melbourne. Wong will also visit the UN Command Buildings in the Joint Security Area within the Demilitarised Zone, “an enduring symbol of international cooperation in addressing North Korea’s challenges to security and stability.” According to the statement, Australia and the ROK are looking to deepen strategic alignment with expanded bilateral and regional cooperation, including on the energy transition and economic security.

Wong joined Attorney General Mark Dreyfus on 30 July to mark World Day against Trafficking in Persons. The statement reaffirmed Australia’s “commitment to tackle modern slavery and to protect and support victims, survivors and individuals at risk.” The Albanese Government this year established Australia’s first federal Anti-Slavery Commissioner, with recruitment of the Commissioner currently underway.  The statement highlighted the ongoing work in government, including “with Indonesia as co-chairs of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, our support for the ASEAN-Australia Counter-Trafficking program, and our engagement with ASEAN member states to develop special measures for children involved in the justice process as victims, witnesses or suspected offenders.” This year’s global theme is “leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking.”

On 29 July, Wong joined her counterparts from the US, India, and Japan in issuing a Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Joint Statement from Tokyo. The statement reaffirmed the Quad agenda, including a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, development, open and stable regional institutions; and maintaining international law with a focus on UNCLOS and the recognition of the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016, which stands as a basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties. The statement also recognized “the transformative power of critical and emerging technologies to support sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific and deliver economic and social benefits. We continue to advance the development of a trusted, secure and robust telecommunications network, and promote supplier diversification, Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) and joint projects such as the Open RAN deployment in Palau.” Other topics covered included cyber, media and information environment, the important role of women and girls in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, disaster response, terrorism, and the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, among others.

Also on the 29 July, Wong announced the launching of the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre. The Centre will to help ensure undersea cable networks in the Indo-Pacific are resilient and all countries can benefit from reliable connectivity and the growth of the digital economy. “Australia will invest more than $18 million over the next four years in the Centre, which will draw on our extensive undersea telecommunications cables expertise and experience to: Provide technical assistance and training across the Indo-Pacific; Commission research and analysis to support Indo-Pacific governments with policy development, regulations and decision-making regarding undersea cables; [and] Share information and host dialogues to strengthen engagement between Indo-Pacific governments and industry.” The Centre will be embedded within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy made a statement on 29 July announcing his new Cabinet position, elevating his portfolios of Development and the Pacific, and Defence Industry and Capability Delivery. The statement notes: “this will be the first time a minister directly responsible for the Pacific has been in Cabinet. It is also the first time since the Keating Government that a minister for international development has been in Cabinet. This is a clear demonstration of the importance the Albanese Government places on our relationships with the Pacific family and our commitment to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for Australia and our region.”

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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