24 January 2025: The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Marles in Kiribati and Solomon Islands; Wong in Washington D.C. for Trump inauguration; joint statement by Quad foreign ministers; new ambassadors to Belgium, Serbia, and Lae, PNG, and more.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles joined reporters on a doorstop in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on 18 January, to discuss his visit and Australia’s engagement with the region. The minister emphasised the strengthening relationship between Australia and Solomon Islands, as highlighted by recent productive meetings with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and Climate Change Minister Trevor Mahaga. The two sides discussed the historic agreement between the two nations to enhance the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force’s capabilities, including establishing a training centre in Honiara. According to Marles, the next step will involve finalising a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), led by Solomon Islands, to ensure the agreement’s implementation aligns with their priorities. Additionally, Marles discussed plans for a warehousing precinct in Honiara to support humanitarian, educational, and medical needs, reaffirming Australia’s commitment to partnership. On climate change, the minister underscored Australia’s collaboration with Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations to address the existential threats posed by climate change and amplify their voices globally. Marles praised Manele’s leadership and celebrated the deepening bilateral ties, reflecting a genuine and productive partnership.
On 18 January, Foreign Minister Penny Wong travelled to the United States to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. According to the statement, “the invitation to attend is a demonstration of the steadfast alliance between Australia and the United States and I look forward to representing Australia. The United States is our vital ally, closest global partner, and most important strategic relationship. The US is also Australia’s most significant economic partner and, together, we continue to boost each other’s prosperity.” While in Washington, Wong will meet with members of the Trump administration and Congress, as well as with her Quad counterparts.
On 22 January, Wong joined the Secretary of State of the United States, the External Affairs Minister of India, and the Foreign Minister of Japan to issue a statement on Quad Foreign Ministers meeting. The statement reaffirms the “shared commitment to strengthening a Free and Open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended.” The four nations will continue to “maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability, and security in all domains including the maritime domain underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific. We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.” The Quad foreign ministers plan to meet together on a regular basis as they prepare for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India.
Wong joined Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on 22 January to announce they “will travel to Poland to attend the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. The Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia, Ms Jillian Segal AO, will [also] join the official Australian delegation in Poland. The read-out notes that “Australia is a proud member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and is committed to Holocaust remembrance, education and research, and ongoing efforts to counter the spread of Holocaust denial and antisemitism.” While in Europe, Wong will also visit Switzerland and Austria, “including for meetings with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency António Guterres, and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric.”
On 17 January, Wong announced new diplomatic leadership positions for posts in Brussels, Belgrade, and Lae. These are: General (Rtd) Angus Campbell AO, who will be Australia’s next Ambassador to Belgium; Peter Truswell as Australia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia; and Brenton Kanowski as Australia’s Consul-General in Lae, Papua New Guinea. “Campbell will also serve as the Ambassador to the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Luxembourg. His experience as Chief of the Defence Force from 2018 until 2024 will help deepen Australia’s peace and security cooperation with NATO, both in the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.”
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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