This week in Australian foreign affairs: Marles in Timor-Leste to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Popular Consultation independence referendum; Marles and Wong host counterparts in Australia-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultation; humanitarian assistance for Bangladesh, and more.

On 30 August, Minister for Defence and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles announced a visit to Timor-Leste to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Popular Consultation independence referendum. While there, Marles met meet with Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and Minister of Defence Rear Admiral Donaciano da Costa Gomes ‘Pedro Klamar Fuik to discuss Australia and Timor-Leste’s shared priorities for our broad security and development partnership. Marles will also “represent Australia at the official commemorative events marking 25 years since the people of Timor-Leste voted for the restoration of independence.” Additionally, he will “meet with Australian Federal Police veterans who supported the Popular Consultation as part of the United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor (UNAMET).”

Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong announced on 4 September that they will host their Japanese counterparts, Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamikawa Yoko and Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, for the 11th Australia-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultation in Victoria on 5 September 2024. In Geelong, Marles remarked that they “meet at a moment in time where our countries have never been more strategically aligned, and where we consider, looking at the various strategic climates we have around and the countries around the world, there really is no other country in the world today that we have a closer strategic alignment with than with Japan.” In additional comments, Marles highlighted that “we are doing more in terms of our exercises, in terms of our defence-to-defence engagement than we have ever done in our history, and we are really ambitious to take that to the next level. In some ways, I think that is the kind of mantra for this entire meeting, which is having got our relationship to a very close place, how do we now take the next step forward and really take it to the next level.”

On 5 September, Marles joined Wong, Foreign Affairs Minister Kamikawa and Defence Minister Kihara in a joint statement announcing the outcomes of the Australia-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations. Among a range of positions that have been reaffirmed, the two sides agreed to strengthen the special strategic partnership further. Some of these measures include “strengthening discussion on strategic infrastructure cooperation… with the aim of increasing interoperability and delivering more effectively our assistance in the region; enhancing cybersecurity cooperation through the inter-agency Cyber Policy Dialogue; strengthening accountability for irresponsible and unacceptable behaviour by states in cyberspace by aligning frameworks on cyber attributions, building on recent cooperation on APT40 Technical Advisory, and sharing information on cyber sanctions frameworks; deepening discussions on classified information sharing to enhance strategic coordination, interoperability and deterrence, under the Information Security Agreement; and strengthening collaboration in support of full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, including with partners and on climate, disaster risk reduction and response, cyber and space security, as well as nuclear non-proliferation.”

Wong joined Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Country on 5 September in a joint media release on new humanitarian assistance for Bangladesh. “The Australian Government will provide more than $1.8 million for humanitarian relief and emergency supplies in response to the recent flooding in Bangladesh.” The assistance package will be “directed through Oxfam and BRAC, a Bangladeshi NGO and one of the world’s largest non-government organisations.” According to the statement, “almost 6 million people have been affected by the flooding, and livelihoods have been devastated as agricultural fields and fishponds are submerged by flood waters… More than half a million people have been displaced and are sheltering in flood evacuation centres, where overcrowding and temporary structures have heightened protection concerns, especially for women and girls.

On 5 September, Wong announced the appointment of Ms Natsuko Ogawa as Chair of the Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF). “Ms Ogawa is a respected lawyer with over 20 years’ experience. She is passionate about building exchanges between Australia and Japan, and developing future leaders. Ms Ogawa is both the first woman and the first Australian of Japanese heritage to be appointed as Chair. Her appointment will enhance the goals of the AJF and support our bilateral relationship with Japan.” According to the statement, the Foundation supports “programs and networks [to] support our engagement with Japan in areas such as economic diplomacy, education, scientific innovation, society, culture and sport.”

Minister for Trade and Tourism and Special Minister of State Don Farrell joined Minister for Resources Madeleine King on 2 September in welcoming the Republic of Korea’s Minister for Trade, Dr Cheong Inkyo, to Perth for the 10th Anniversary of the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee Meeting, and the Annual Trade Ministers’ Meeting. Cheong’s visit, according to the statement, is an opportunity to explore areas for further cooperation and collaboration in sectors such as hydrogen, green metals and critical minerals.” The ministers “will also discuss the potential for transporting and permanently storing carbon in our joint fight to achieve net zero. With limited carbon storage capacity, the Republic of Korea is looking to partners like Australia to progress carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects and technology.” Current two-way trade between Australia and Korea was almost $71 billion in 2023, and has more than doubled since 2013, “making the Republic of Korea our fourth largest trading partner.”

Conroy announced on 3 September that the Australian Government will partner with Rugby Australia and Lakapi Samoa to bring a historic women’s rugby union tour to Samoa. Samoa’s Manusina will face Australia A on 16 September at Apia Park in Samoa. “Delivered through PacificAus Sports, the match will be the Manusina’s first home game since 2009, and will be preceded by a high-performance training camp as the team prepares to compete in World Rugby’s WXV3 competition in Dubai in a bid to qualify for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.” According to the release, the “tour reflects the Australian Government’s continued commitment to partnering with Rugby Australia and the national unions of the Pacific to enhance women’s rugby and deepen sporting connections between Australia and the Pacific.”

On 4 September, Assistant Minster for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts announced he will attends Africa Down Under, Australia’s premier Africa-focused mining conference, in Perth. The conference is a key forum for “ministers and business executives from both our continents to connect and discuss shared opportunities and challenges.” According to the statement, “Australian mining companies now invest an estimated $60 billion in Africa. High quality Australian investment benefits both Australia and African countries. Trade between Australia and countries on the African continent has grown rapidly, reaching $11 billion in 2023.”

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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