Foreign relations of Australia

Foreign relations of Australia are influenced by its position as a leading trading nation and as a significant donor of humanitarian aid. Australia's foreign policy is guided by a commitment to multilateralism and regionalism, as well as to build strong bilateral relations with its allies. Key concerns include free trade, terrorism, refugees, economic co-operation with Asia and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is active in the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. Given its history of starting and supporting important regional and global initiatives, it has been described as a regional middle power par excellence.^[1]

RG Casey House, Canberra, is the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

It maintains significant ties with ASEAN and has become steadfastly allied with New Zealand, through long-standing ties dating back to the 1800s. The country also has a longstanding alliance with the United States of America. Over recent decades Australia has sought to strengthen its relationship with Asian countries, with this becoming the focus of the country's network of diplomatic missions.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} In 2021, Australia signed a significant security partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States of America (AUKUS) aimed at upholding security in the Indo-Pacific region.

History

Main article: Diplomatic history of Australia

Before the Second World War, Australia saw its economic and military security assured by being a loyal dominion of the British Empire and generally sought to align its diplomatic policies with those of the British Government. Although Australia, like other British Dominions, was a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles and a member of the League of Nations, the British Government handled most of Australia's diplomatic exchanges outside the Empire.^[8] The approach of the Second World War saw the first steps by Australia in establishing its own diplomatic network, particularly with economically and politically important countries of the Pacific Rim. The first accredited diplomat sent to a foreign country was Richard Casey, appointed as the first Minister to the United States in January 1940.^[9] This was followed shortly after by the arrival of the first Australian high commissioner to Canada,^[10] and by appointments of Ministers to Japan in 1940 and China in 1941. With the entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 and the consequent heightened vulnerability of Australia to attack, a critical decision was made by the Curtin Government to more closely seek the military protection of the United States. Since that time, United States has been the most important security ally. The close security relationship with the United States was formalized in 1951 by the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements.

During and after the Second World War, and in parallel with the evolution of the British Empire to the Commonwealth of Nations, Australia progressively took responsibility for fully managing its foreign relations with other states. Australia concluded an agreement in 1944 with New Zealand dealing with the security, welfare, and advancement of the people of the dependent territories of the Pacific (the ANZAC pact).^[11] Australia was one of the founders of the United Nations (1945) and the South Pacific Commission (1947), and in 1950, it proposed the Colombo Plan to assist developing countries in Asia. After the war, Australia played a role in the Far Eastern Commission in Japan and supported Indonesian independence during that country's revolt against the Dutch (1945–49).^[12]

As the Cold War deepened, Australia aligned itself fully with the Western Powers. In addition to contributing to UN forces in the Korean War – it was the first country to announce it would do so after the United States – Australia sent troops to assist in putting down the communist revolt in Malaya in 1948–60 and later to combat the Indonesian-supported invasion of Sarawak in 1963–65.^[13] Australia sent troops to repel communism and assist South Vietnamese and American forces in the Vietnam War, in a move that stirred up antiwar activism at home.^[14] Australia has been active in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, and in the Australia – New Zealand – United Kingdom agreement and the Five Power Defence Arrangement—successive arrangements with Britain and New Zealand to ensure the security of Singapore and Malaysia.

After the end of the Cold War, Australia remained an important contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and to other multilateral security missions, often in alliance with the United States. Notably, it joined coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), the Iraq War of 2003-2011 and the War in Iraq (2013-2017). In 1999 Australian peace keeping forces intervened in East Timor following its referendum to secede from Indonesia. In 2006 Australia sent a contingent of Australian troops to the state to assist in the 2006 East Timor crisis.^[15] Australia has also most recently led security assistance, peacekeeping and policing missions elsewhere in its neighbourhood, including in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

In the late 20th Century and early 21st Century, a new element in Australia's foreign relations was the growing relationship with the People's Republic of China. After the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1972, Sino-Australian relations grew rapidly, to a point where China became Australia's main trading partner and extensive official and people-to-people links were well established. In the first 15 years of the 21st Century, Australia maintained privileged relations with both the United States and China. Since 2017, Sino-Australian relations have deteriorated dramatically, as a result of Australian criticism of policies and actions taken under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping. This has strongly influenced recent Australian bilateral and multi-lateral engagements such as the Pacific Step-Up with Pacific Island states, the development of comprehensive strategic partnerships with a number of regional states, and the pursuit of alliances directed at countering Chinese predominance in the Indo-Pacific region. Since 2017, existing security arrangements have been augmented by a revived Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involving India, Japan and United States, the 2021 AUKUS security partnership with the United States and United Kingdom and the 2022 Australia-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement, which provides for closer Australian-Japanese cooperation on defence and humanitarian operations.

International agencies, treaties, and agreements

Membership of international organizations and groupings

See also: Australia and the United Nations

One of the drafters of the UN Charter, Australia has given firm support to the United Nations system. Australia held the first Presidency of the Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military observers under UN auspices a year later, to Indonesia. It has been a member of the Security Council a further four times, in 1956–57, 1973–74, 1986–87 and 2013–14.^[16] It has been regularly elected a member of the Economic and Social Council most recently for 2020–22, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018-20 and its predecessor the UN Commission on Human Rights in the 1990s. Australia takes a prominent part in many other UN activities, including peacekeeping, disarmament negotiations, and narcotics control. In September 1999, acting under a UN Security Council mandate, Australia led an international coalition to restore order in East Timor upon Indonesia's withdrawal from that territory. Australia has also been closely engaged in international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance through the Specialized agencies, Funds and Programmes and Regional Commissions of the United Nations and major International Financial Institutions, in particular the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Australia is a member of the G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the APEC forum. It is active in meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, the Pacific Islands Forum and other Pacific Islands regional organizations and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. It has been a leader in the Cairns Group – countries pressing for agricultural trade reform in the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations. Australia is also a member of MIKTA, an informal and diverse middle power partnership between Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia, led by its foreign ministers, which seeks to promote an effective, rules-based global order.

Australia has devoted particular attention in the early 21st century to promoting regional architecture centred around the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to support dialogue on political, security and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia is an active participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN sponsored East Asia Summit. Australia's place at the 2005 inaugural summit was only secured after it agreed to reverse its policy and accede to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Australia had been reluctant to sign the treaty out of concerns regarding how it would affect Australia's obligation under other treaty arrangements including ANZUS.

Security treaties

Instrument	Countries
Five Power Defence Arrangements	United Kingdom •   Australia •   New Zealand •   Singapore •   Malaysia
ANZUS	Australia •   New Zealand (partially suspended) •   United States
ANZUK	Australia •   New Zealand •   United Kingdom

Special strategic partnership

• Japan (as of 2014).^[17] Under this partnership, Australia and Japan have established a strong and broad-ranging security relationship under the renewed 2022 Australia-Japan Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation.^[18]

Comprehensive strategic partnerships

Comprehensive strategic partnerships are broad, high level relationships which have increasingly been formalized in the Asia-Pacific region under this description since the early 21st century. They are arrangements which, in general, convey a sense of mutual value, strategic alignment and positive intent to further strengthen ties.^[19] They establish the framework for an intensified level of engagement across governments and indicate particularly close bilateral relations. Australia has a formal comprehensive strategic partnership with the following countries and multi-national organizations:

• Singapore (as of 2016)^[20]
• Indonesia (as of 2018)^[21]
• India (as of 2020)^[22]
• Papua New Guinea (as of 2020)^[23]
• Malaysia (as of 2021)^[24]
• South Korea (as of 2021)^[25]
• ASEAN (as of 2021)^[26]
• Vietnam (as of 2024)^[27]

In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a "comprehensive strategic partnership", and this helped facilitate an extensive program of engagement. This partnership has been dormant since relations deteriorated, particularly since 2020.

Trade

Overall Australia's largest trading partners are the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom. Australia currently has bilateral Free Trade Agreements with New Zealand, the United States, Thailand and Singapore as of 2007 and the United Kingdom as of 2021. As well as this, Australia is in the process undertaking studies on Free Trade Agreements with ASEAN, China, Chile, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

• Australia–Chile Free Trade Agreement
• Australia–China Free Trade Agreement
• Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement
• Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement
• Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement
• Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement
• Australia–Fiji Free Trade Agreement

Armaments

To bolster its foreign policy, Australia maintains a very well-equipped military, According to SIPRI, Australia is the fourth largest importer of major weapons in the world.^[28] The US supplied 60 per cent of Australia's imports and Spain 29 per cent.^[29] All armed services have received new major arms in 2014–18, but mainly aircraft and ships. The F-35 combat aircraft and antisubmarine warfare aircraft from the USA made up 53 per cent of Australian arms imports in 2014–18, while ships from Spain accounted for 29 per cent. Large deliveries for additional aircraft and ships are outstanding.^[29]

Australia is modernising its armed forces but also acquiring weapons that significantly increase its long-range capabilities. Among the weapons imported in 2010–14 were 5 tanker aircraft and the first of 2 amphibious assault ships from Spain, along with 2 large transport aircraft and 4 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft from the USA. Australia also received 26 combat aircraft from the US, with 82 more on order (see box 3), as well as 8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the US and 3 Hobart destroyers from Spain. Australia's imports of major weapons increased 37 percent between 2010 and 2014 and 2014–18, making it the fourth largest importer in the world according to SIPRI.^[29]

In 2021, after Australia ended its 20-year military mission in Afghanistan, the defence officials held formal talks on strengthening military ties with the United Arab Emirates. However, the human rights groups said that it was "very concerning" to witness, as the Emirates was accused of carrying out "unlawful attacks" in war-torn nations like Libya and Yemen.^[30]

In December 2021, Australia signed a defence procurement deal with South Korea worth $1billion AUD (US$720 million) for modern artillery, supply trucks and radars supplied by South Korean defense company Hanwha. The South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met for the signing of the agreement and additionally announced they were formally upgrading the Australian-South Korean relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership."^[31]

Diplomatic relations

As of 2011, Australia had established formal diplomatic relations with all members of the United Nations as well as the Holy See, Kosovo, Cook Islands and (in 2014) Niue. In many cases, diplomatic relations are maintained on a non-resident basis, with the Australian ambassador or high commissioner based in another country. Since 2012, diplomatic relations have been effectively suspended with the Syrian Arab Republic, with no diplomatic accreditation by either country maintained, but consular relations continue.^[32] In the case of Afghanistan, following the Taliban takeover in 2021, diplomatic relations are in an ambiguous status with Australia "temporarily" closing its embassy in Kabul and not recognizing the Islamic Emirate government but maintaining the credentials of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra.^[33] A number of Canadian missions provide consular assistance to Australians in countries in Africa where Australia does not maintain an office (and Australia reciprocates this arrangement for Canada in some other countries) through the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement.^[34]

Due to the One China Policy of the People's Republic of China, the Australian Office in Taiwan (formerly the Australian Commerce and Industry Office) unofficially represents Australia's interest in Taiwan, serving a function similar to other Australian Consulates.

List

List of countries which Australia maintains diplomatic relations with:

#	Country	Date
1	United Kingdom	March 1936^[35]
2	Canada	2 November 1939^[36]
3	United States	8 January 1940^[37]
4	Japan	17 August 1940^[38]
5	India	7 March 1941^[39]
6	Netherlands	16 April 1942^[40]
7	Russia	10 October 1942^[41]
8	New Zealand	27 February 1943^[42]
9	France	13 December 1944^[43]
10	Chile	27 December 1945^[44]
11	Brazil	1945^[45]
12	Philippines	4 July 1946^[46]
13	South Africa	August 1946^[47]
14	Ireland	15 October 1946^[48]
15	Sri Lanka	29 April 1947^[49]
16	Norway	23 June 1947^[50]
17	Pakistan	15 August 1947^[51]
18	Denmark	12 September 1947^[52]^[53]
19	Belgium	10 October 1947^[54]
20	Uruguay	15 December 1948^[55]
21	Israel	29 January 1949^[56]
22	Indonesia	5 March 1949^[57]
23	Finland	31 May 1949^[58]
24	Italy	24 November 1949^[59]
25	Egypt	9 March 1950^[60]
26	Cambodia	15 January 1952^[61]
27	Laos	16 January 1952^[62]
28	Germany	28 January 1952^[63]
29	Austria	October 1952^[64]
30	Thailand	19 December 1952^[65]
31	Greece	30 March 1953^[66]
32	Myanmar	1 August 1953^[67]
33	Malaysia	31 August 1957^[68]
34	Ghana	21 February 1958^[69]
35	Argentina	10 December 1959^[70]
36	Nepal	15 February 1960^[71]
37	Portugal	4 August 1960^[72]
38	Nigeria	10 September 1960^[73]
39	Switzerland	3 June 1961^[74]
40	South Korea	October 1961^[75]
41	Tanzania	12 May 1962^[76]
42	Peru	1 March 1963^[77]
43	Sweden	1963^[78]
44	Malta	21 September 1964^[79]
45	Singapore	18 August 1965^[80]
46	Kenya	23 August 1965^[81]
47	Uganda	23 August 1965^[81]
48	Ethiopia	13 December 1965^[82]
49	Mexico	14 March 1966^[83]
50	Serbia	25 April 1966^[84]
51	Lebanon	5 February 1967^[85]
52	Spain	26 October 1967^[86]
53	Romania	18 March 1968^[87]
54	Turkey	April 1968^[88]
55	Iran	21 September 1968^[89]
56	Afghanistan	30 March 1969^[90]
57	Luxembourg	18 September 1970^[91]
58	Mauritius	25 September 1970^[92]
59	Fiji	10 October 1970^[93]
60	Tonga	3 December 1970^[94]
61	Samoa	31 March 1971^[95]
62	Bangladesh	31 January 1972^[96]
63	Poland	20 February 1972^[97]
64	Bulgaria	5 April 1972^[98]
65	Hungary	6 April 1972^[99]
66	Bahrain	24 April 1972^[100]
67	Zambia	18 May 1972^[101]
68	Czech Republic	18 June 1972^[102]
69	Mongolia	15 September 1972^[103]
70	Nauru	21 November 1972^[104]
71	China	21 December 1972^[105]
72	Vietnam	26 February 1973^[106]
—	Holy See	24 March 1973^[107]
73	Venezuela	31 March 1973^[108]
74	Cyprus	6 April 1973^[109]
75	Guyana	14 May 1973^[110]
76	Botswana	9 July 1973^[111]
77	Eswatini	9 July 1973^[112]
78	Lesotho	9 July 1973^[112]
79	Iraq	2 December 1973^[113]
80	Oman	18 December 1973^[114]
81	Jamaica	6 January 1974^[115]
82	Bahamas	7 January 1974^[116]
83	Barbados	7 January 1974^[117]
84	Guatemala	7 January 1974^[118]
85	Trinidad and Tobago	7 January 1974^[119]
86	Maldives	25 January 1974^[120]
87	Sudan	8 February 1974^[121]
88	Panama	20 February 1974^[122]
89	Kuwait	1 July 1974^[123]
90	Algeria	8 July 1974^[124]
91	Costa Rica	July 1974^[125]
92	Madagascar	22 August 1974^[126]
93	Ivory Coast	17 September 1974^[127]
94	Senegal	26 September 1974^[128]
95	Paraguay	2 December 1974^[129]
96	Saudi Arabia	15 December 1974^[130]
97	North Korea	31 December 1974^[131]
98	Colombia	9 January 1975^[132]
99	Ecuador	3 February 1975^[133]
100	Bolivia	10 April 1975^[134]
101	Jordan	29 April 1975^[135]
102	Syria	12 May 1975^[135]
103	United Arab Emirates	30 August 1975^[136]
104	Papua New Guinea	16 September 1975^[137]
105	Seychelles	29 June 1976^[138]
106	Morocco	13 July 1976^[139]
107	Tunisia	17 February 1977^[140]
108	Tuvalu	30 November 1977^[141]
109	Libya	4 January 1978^[142]
110	Solomon Islands	7 July 1978^[143]
111	Kiribati	12 July 1979^[144]
112	Grenada	18 December 1979^[145]
113	Qatar	1 May 1980^[142]
114	Zimbabwe	15 May 1980^[146]
115	Vanuatu	30 July 1980^[147]
116	Yemen	20 December 1980^[142]
117	Sierra Leone	9 October 1981^[148]
118	Belize	17 January 1982^[149]
119	Gambia	15 February 1982^[150]
120	Mozambique	11 June 1982^[151]
121	Dominica	1982^[152]
122	Saint Lucia	1982^[153]
123	Malawi	1 July 1983^[154]
124	Comoros	27 July 1983^[155]
125	El Salvador	5 December 1983^[156]^[157]
126	Nicaragua	5 December 1983^[157]
127	Brunei	1 January 1984^[158]
128	Iceland	12 February 1984^[159]
129	Mali	15 March 1984^[160]
130	Honduras	10 July 1984^[161]
131	Albania	16 September 1984^[162]
132	Gabon	20 October 1984^[163]
133	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	31 January 1986^[164]
134	Saint Kitts and Nevis	1986^[165]
135	Marshall Islands	8 July 1987^[166]
136	Angola	30 March 1988^[167]
137	Federated States of Micronesia	6 July 1988^[168]
138	Cuba	31 January 1989^[169]
139	Latvia	27 August 1991^[170]
140	Lithuania	6 November 1991^[171]
141	Estonia	21 November 1991^[172]
142	Kyrgyzstan	26 December 1991^[173]
143	Tajikistan	26 December 1991^[174]
144	Uzbekistan	26 December 1991^[175]
145	Belarus	9 January 1992^[176]
146	Ukraine	10 January 1992^[177]
147	Armenia	15 January 1992^[178]
148	Slovenia	5 February 1992^[179]
149	Croatia	13 February 1992^[180]
150	Moldova	1 April 1992^[181]
151	Turkmenistan	14 May 1992^[182]
152	Azerbaijan	19 June 1992^[183]
153	Kazakhstan	22 June 1992^[184]
154	Georgia	16 July 1992^[185]
155	Slovakia	1 January 1993^[186]
156	Bosnia and Herzegovina	7 January 1993^[187]
157	Eritrea	24 November 1993^[188]
158	Namibia	8 June 1994^[189]
159	Palau	1 October 1994^[190]
—	Cook Islands	1994^[191]
160	Andorra	2 March 1995^[192]
161	San Marino	13 September 1995^[193]
162	North Macedonia	20 October 1995^[194]
163	Suriname	19 January 1996^[195]
164	Dominican Republic	22 April 1997^[196]
165	Liechtenstein	1997^[197]
166	Haiti	2000^[198]
167	Mauritania	13 December 2001^[199]
168	Cameroon	2 March 2002^[200]
169	East Timor	20 May 2002^[201]
170	Bhutan	14 September 2002^[195]
171	Montenegro	1 September 2006^[202]
172	Monaco	3 May 2007^[203]
173	Rwanda	9 May 2007^[204]
174	Burkina Faso	13 November 2008^[195]
—	Kosovo	21 May 2008^[205]
175	Djibouti	23 April 2009^[204]
176	Republic of the Congo	7 May 2009^[195]
177	Niger	7 May 2009^[195]
178	São Tomé and Príncipe	8 July 2009^[195]
179	Togo	22 July 2009^[195]
180	Equatorial Guinea	23 July 2009^[195]
181	Cape Verde	22 September 2009^[206]
182	Liberia	26 September 2009^[195]
183	Central African Republic	18 January 2010^[195]
184	Somalia	20 April 2010^[207]
185	Benin	22 September 2010^[208]
186	Guinea	9 September 2011^[209]
187	South Sudan	24 September 2011^[210]
188	Democratic Republic of the Congo	2011^[211]
—	Niue	27 February 2014^[212]
189	Antigua and Barbuda	Unknown
190	Burundi	Unknown
191	Chad	Unknown
192	Guinea-Bissau	Unknown

Bilateral relations

Africa

Country	Formal relations began	Notes
Algeria	8 July 1974^[124]	Australia and Algeria enjoy friendly relations and cooperate in international fora on areas of mutual interest. Algeria has an embassy in Canberra. Australia is accredited to Algeria from its embassy in Paris, France. An Australian resident embassy was established in Algiers in 1975 and was closed in 1991 for budgetary reasons. For a history of Australian representation to Algeria see List of ambassadors of Australia to Algeria. Bilateral goods and services trade in 2020 was valued at approximately A$165 million, mostly Australian imports of crude petroleum.^[213]
Angola	30 May 1988^[214]	Australia and Angola established diplomatic relations in May 1988 with the accreditation by Australia of an ambassador resident in Lusaka, Zambia.^[215] Accreditation soon switched to the High Commissioner in Pretoria, South Africa. Australia also has an honorary consulate in Luanda. Angola's ambassador is accredited from its embassy in Singapore. The trade and investment relationship between the two countries is limited, with two way merchandise trade being just over A$5.6m in 2019–20.^[216]
Benin	11 September 2010^[217]	Australia's ambassador is accredited from Abuja, Nigeria. Benin's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan.
Botswana	9 July 1973^[218]	Australia and Botswana have enjoyed good relations since Botswana's independence, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria. Australia also has an honorary consulate in Gaborone. Botswana has a high commission in Canberra and has honorary consulates in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and the New South Wales mid-north coast town of Kendall^[219] Governor General Quentin Bryce made the first official visit of an Australian Governor-General to Botswana in March 2009.^[220] President Ian Khama made the first official visit of a Botswanan President to Australia in March 2010.
Burkina Faso	13 November 2008^[221]	Australia and Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations in 2008 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] Australia's ambassador is accredited from Accra, Ghana. Burkina Faso's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan.
Burundi		Australia's ambassador to Burundi is accredited from Nairobi, Kenya.^[223]^[224] Burundi has an honorary consulate in Perth.
Cape Verde	22 September 2009^[225]	Australia and Cape Verde established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] Australia is accredited to Cape Verde from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. Cape Verde has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Cameroon	2 March 2002^[226]	Australia and Cameroon enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in March 2002 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Abuja, Nigeria. Australia also maintains an honorary consulate in Yaoundé. The Cameroonian high commissioner is accredited from Tokyo, Japan. Cameroon also maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney. The two countries have modest trade links. In 2019-2020 total merchandise trade was A$1.3 million.^[227]
Central African Republic	18 January 2010^[228]	Australia and the Central African Republic established diplomatic relations in 2010 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] Australia is accredited to the Central African Republic from its embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Central African Republic has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Chad	2007	Diplomatic relations were formalized in 2007 with the accreditation of the first Australian ambassador, resident in Abuja, Nigeria. Australia is currently accredited to Chad from its embassy in Paris, France. Chad initially accredited its ambassador resident in Beijing, China but does not currently have an accreditation to Australia.
Comoros	27 July 1983^[229]	Australia and Comoros established diplomatic relations in July 1983 with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first ambassador. The two countries cooperate as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and through small development cooperation projects. Australia's ambassador to Comoros is accredited from Port Louis, Mauritius.^[230] Comoros has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Congo	7 May 2009^[231]	Australia and Congo established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] The Australian ambassador is accredited from Harare, Zimbabwe. Congo has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	2011	Australia and the DRC established diplomatic relations in 2011 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. The Australian ambassador is accredited from Harare, Zimbabwe. The DRC has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia. Immigration from the DRC to Australia has occurred mainly since the early 2000s. At the end of June 2019, 7,210 people born in the DRC were living in Australia.^[232] Trade between the two countries is small. In 2019-2020 total merchandise trade was only A$3.4 million.^[233]
Djibouti		Australia is accredited to Djibouti from its embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Djibouti is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
Egypt	8 April 1950, severed diplomatic relations from 6 November 1956 to 19 October 1959	See Australia–Egypt relations Egypt was the first Arab country with which Australia established diplomatic relations, with the opening of an Australian legation in Cairo in 1950. Following President Gamal Abdel Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal in July 1956, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies lead a five-nation delegation to Cairo in August 1956 to negotiate with Nasser about the return of the Canal to international control. The Suez Canal was the preeminent economic trade route for Australia at that time.^[234] Diplomatic relations were broken by Egypt in November 1956 in protest over subsequent Australian support for the Anglo-French invasion during the Suez Crisis.^[235] Relations were restored in 1959 and raised to embassy-level in 1961. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Egypt see List of ambassadors of Australia to Egypt. Egypt has an embassy in Canberra and two consulates-general (in Melbourne and Sydney).^[236] There is a significant community in Australia of Egyptian-born immigrants and their descendants, resulting in significant people-to-people ties between the two countries. Immigration from Egypt became significant after the Second World War, including by a large number of Coptic Christians. The 2016 Australian census recorded almost 40,000 Egyptian-born residents.^[237] (See also Egyptian Australians) Australia supported the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty and has provided deployments of military personnel to the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai since 1982. Australia engages with Egypt on a number of shared regional and international priorities, including counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism.^[238] in 2016-17 two-way merchandise trade totalled A$582 million (A$533 million in exports from Australia and A$49 million in imports from Egypt). Australia's principal exports to Egypt are agricultural products including vegetables, wool and wheat. Australian companies are prominent investors in Egypt's mining sector.^[238] Then Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Egypt in October 2017 to attend commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein and make an official visit that included a meeting with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II visited Australia in September 2017.^[238]
Equatorial Guinea	23 July 2009^[239]	Australia and Equatorial Guinea established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] Australia's ambassador is accredited from Madrid, Spain. Equatorial Guinea's ambassador is accredited from Beijing, China.
Eritrea	24 November 1993	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 November 1993 when first Eritrea's Ambassador to Australia Mr. Fessehaie Abraham presented his credentials^[188] Australia is accredited to Eritrea from its embassy in Cairo, Egypt. Eritrea is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Beijing, China and has a consulate-general in Melbourne. A small but influential Eritrean refugee community in Australia since the 1970s promoted a sympathetic view of Eritrean independence and in 1989 Australia hosted a quasi-official visit of Eritrean rebel leader Issaias Afewerki. The Australian NGO Fred Hollows Foundation has been active in Eritrea since the 1980s in supporting the elimination of trachoma and established Africa's only factory making intra-ocular lenses required for cataract operations.^[240] Australia established diplomatic relations with Eritrea following its internationally recognised independence in 1993 and implemented a significant aid program. Eritrea opened an embassy in Canberra that year, which remained open until 2013. Political repression in Eritrea, human rights violations and war with neighbouring Ethiopia led to a chill in political relations and Australia has applied Eritrea-related UN sanctions. The 2016 Australian census recorded 4,303 Eritrean-born residents, mostly living in Melbourne.^[241]
Eswatini	9 July 1973^[218]	Australia and Eswatini have enjoyed good relations since Eswatini's independence, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria, South Africa. Eswatini is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ethiopia	13 December 1965^[242]	Ethiopia and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1965 with an Australian ambassador accredited on a non-resident basis from Nairobi, Kenya. In 1984 an Australian embassy was opened in Addis Ababa. It was closed in 1987 due to budget cuts and accreditation returned to the High Commission in Nairobi. In September 2010, a resident Ambassador was reappointed and since then Australia has continued to maintain an embassy in Addis Ababa, with concurrent accreditation to the African Union. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Ethiopia see List of ambassadors of Australia to Ethiopia. Ethiopia opened an embassy in Canberra in December 2013. Prior to this Ethiopia's ambassador was accredited from Tokyo.^[243] Emperor Haile Selassie I paid a 5-day state visit to Australia in May 1968. This was commemorated, ahead of its 50th anniversary, in a 2017 visit by the President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, the Emperor's grandson.^[244]^[245] Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Ethiopia in March 2009.^[246] A Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation and a Bilateral Cooperation Agreement were signed by the two countries in May 2012 and January 2013 respectively. Australia has a small but growing Ethiopian-born community, primarily in Melbourne, Victoria. The 2016 Australian census recorded 11,792 Ethiopia-born people of diverse ethnic and linguistic heritage.^[247] See also Ethiopian Australians. Merchandise trade between Australia and Ethiopia is small, valued at A$31 million in 2019-2020 and mainly comprising Australian imports of coffee.^[248]
Gabon	20 October 1984	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 October 1984 when Mr. A. R.Taylor, presented his letter of credence as non-resident Ambassador of Australia to Gabon.^[163] At the time Gabon joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 2022, Australia's accredited representative was redesignated high commissioner. Gabon has not yet accredited a representative to Australia. Two way merchandise trade between the two countries was almost A$120 million in 2019–2020. A significant part of that trade is Australian imports of crude petroleum and Gabonese imports of aircraft.^[249] President Ali Bongo Ondimba made a state visit to Australia in 2012.^[250] His father, President Omar Bongo, had earlier been officially welcomed to Australia during a largely private visit in 1978.^[251]
Gambia	February 15, 1982^[252]	Australia and The Gambia have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were established upon the presentation of credentials in February 1982 of Australia's first high commissioner, then resident in Accra, Ghana. Australia is currently accredited to The Gambia from its high commission in Abuja, Nigeria. The Gambia is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ghana	6 December 1957	Australia has a high commission in Accra. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Ghana see List of high commissioners of Australia to Ghana. Ghana has a high commission in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.^[253]^[254] Australia's trade relations are modest, valued at A$113 million in 2007, most of that exports to Ghana. Australian mining investment in Ghana has grown in recent years, primarily in the gold mining sector. Australia also provides foreign aid to Ghana to alleviate poverty, improve the environment and promote human rights.^[255]
Guinea		Australia and Guinea share close interests in the mining sector. They are the two largest bauxite producers in the world (see List of countries by bauxite production) and were founding signatories in the 1970s of the (now defunct) International Bauxite Agreement. Australian companies are involved in developing the Guinean mining sector. Australia is accredited to Guinea from its high commission in Accra, Ghana. Guinea is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
Guinea-Bissau		Australia granted de jure recognition to Guinea-Bissau on August 11, 1974, having extended de facto recognition in June 1974 in support of its independence campaign.^[256] Australia and Guinea-Bissau established diplomatic relations in March 2011 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[257] Australia's ambassador is accredited from Lisbon, Portugal. Guinea-Bissau has not yet established representation to Australia.
Ivory Coast	17 September 1974^[258]	Australia and Côte d'Ivoire established diplomatic relations with the accreditation in September 1974 of an Australian ambassador resident in Accra, Ghana. Côte d'Ivoire opened an embassy in Canberra in 2016 but this was closed in 2021.^[259] Two way merchandise trade between the countries was A$123 million in 2019–2020.^[260]
Kenya	23 August 1965	See Australia–Kenya relations Australia's relations with Kenya are based on Kenya's key role and position in East Africa and its importance in multilateral bodies such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization. Australia has a high commission in Nairobi, opened in September 1965.^[261] For a detailed history of Australian representation in Kenya see List of high commissioners of Australia to Kenya. Kenya has a high commission in Canberra, opened in 1983.^[262] Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Kenya in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations.^[263] There is a small but growing Kenya-born community in Australia. The latest Australian Census in 2016 recorded 17,652 Kenya-born people in Australia.^[264] Trade has been growing between the two countries, with two-way merchandise trade reaching $115 million in 2018–19. Wheat and minerals are Australia's main exports to Kenya, while coffee and vegetables make up the bulk of imports.^[265] Australia has provided development assistance to Kenya since the late 20th Century.
Lesotho	9 July 1973^[218]	Australia and Lesotho have enjoyed good relations since Lesotho's independence, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non-resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria, South Africa. Lesotho is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Newcastle.^[266]
Liberia	26 September 2008^[267]^[268]	Australia and Liberia established diplomatic relations in 2008 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard,^[222] with Australia's high commissioner in Accra, Ghana becoming Australia's first Ambassador to Liberia in February 2009.^[269]^[270] Liberia has not yet established representation to Australia.
Libya	2 January 1978, broke off 19 May 1987, Restored in June 2002	See Australia–Libya relations Australia and Libya announced the establishment of diplomatic relations on 4 January 1978.^[271] A Libyan People's Bureau was opened in Canberra and the Australian ambassador to Italy was accredited on a non-resident basis. Concerns about Libyan destabilising activities in the Pacific region, part of a broader sponsorship by Muammar Gaddafi of such activities around the world, led to the expulsion of the Bureau in Canberra in 1987.^[272]^[273] As part of the thawing of relations between Libya and Western nations following Gaddafi's post 9-11 policy u-turns, diplomatic relations were restored in 2002, the Libyan People's Bureau reopened in Canberra and the Australian ambassador in Rome resumed non-resident accreditation. This has remained the case, though with the Bureau's name reverting to embassy following the overthrow of Gaddafi. Australia was a major non-military backer of the revolutionaries during the Libyan Civil War, sending more humanitarian aid to Libya than any other single country after the United States.^[274]^[275] It was relatively early to recognise the NTC, doing so on 9 June 2011, months before the capture of Tripoli.^[276]^[277] In December 2011, when then Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd travelled to Libya to meet with Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib. Rudd ceremonially hoisted the flag of Australia at his country's consulate-general in Tripoli and pledged Canberra's support for efforts to remove unexploded landmines in Libya, as well as advice on Libya's planned transition to democratic governance.^[278] There is a small Libyan community in Australia, mainly in Victoria. The 2016 Australian census recorded 2,535 Libyan-born people.^[279] The Libyan civil war that has followed Gaddafi's overthrow and the lack of a stable political settlement has constrained the development of trade and investment links between the countries. In 2019-20 total merchandise trade was valued at A$738 million, almost all being imports by Australia of Libyan crude petroleum.^[280]
Madagascar	22 August 1974^[281]	Australia and Madagascar have enjoyed friendly relations since Madagascar's independence in 1960. President Philibert Tsiranana was the first African head of state to make an official visit to Australia in November 1965.^[282] Australia and Madagascar established diplomatic relations in 1974 with the accreditation of an Australian ambassador on a non-resident basis. Australia is currently accredited to Madagascar from the high commission in Port Louis, Mauritius and maintains an honorary consulate in Antananarivo. Madagascar is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius and maintains an honorary consulate-general in Sydney. Two-way merchandise trade in 2019-2020 was valued at a modest A$40 million.^[283]
Malawi	1 July 1983	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 July 1983 when Mr. I. L. James, the first High Commissioner of Australia to Malawi presented his letters of credentials.^[154] Australia and Malawi have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia's high commissioner is accredited from Harare, Zimbabwe.^[284] Australia also has an honorary consulate in Lilongwe. Malawi's high commissioner is accredited from Tokyo. Malawi also has an honorary consulate in Melbourne. Australian companies have mining interests in Malawi, including the Kayelekera uranium project.^[285]
Mali	15 March 1984	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 March 1984 when first non-resident Ambassador of Mali to Australia Mr. Boubacar Toure presented his credentials^[160] Australia is accredited to Mali from its high commission in Accra, Ghana. Mali is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
Mauritania	13 December 2001	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 December 2001.^[199] Australia's ambassador is accredited from Paris, France. Mauritania's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan. Australian companies are present in Mauritania's mining sector and two-way trade between the two countries is mainly mining-related, In 2019-2020 Australia imported about A$100m in iron ore, and exported about A$8 million, mainly in specialized civil engineering equipment.^[286]
Mauritius	25 September 1970^[92]	Australia and Mauritius have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations since Mauritius's independence. The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1970. There are strong economic, education and people-to-people links.^[287] Australia has a high commission in Port Louis. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Mauritius see List of high commissioners of Australia to Mauritius. Mauritius has a high commission in Canberra and four Honorary Consuls based in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Mauritius in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations.^[288]
Morocco	13 July 1976^[139]	See Australia–Morocco relations Australia has had an embassy in Rabat, which opened in 2017. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Morocco see List of ambassadors of Australia to Morocco. Morocco has an embassy in Canberra, which opened in 2005. Two-way trade between Australia and Morocco was valued at over A$144 million in 2021, with the main imports from Morocco being chemicals and manufactured clothing, and the main Australian exports being meat, fruit and vegetables. Australian Parliamentary Delegations have visited Morocco in 1993, 2011 and 2013. Australia provided five contingents of signals staff to the UN peace-keeping mission in the Western Sahara (MINURSO) between September 1991 and May 1994.^[289] Australia follows the UN position on Western Sahara as territory yet to be formally decolonized, and has neither recognised Moroccan sovereignty nor the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Mozambique	7 June 1982^[290]	Diplomatic relations were established on 7 June 1982 when the first Ambassador of Australia to Mozambique with residence in Harare presented his credentials to President Samora Machel. Since Mozambique was admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations, the two countries have exchanged High Commissioners. Australia is currently accredited from its High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa. In addition, Australia has an honorary consulate in Maputo. Mozambique is accredited from its Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Mozambique also has an honorary consulate in Melbourne. Bilateral merchandise trade reached A$484 million in 2019–20, comprising mostly Australian aluminium exports.^[291] Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Mozambique in April 2009 to promote bilateral relations. This was reciprocated by the state visit of President Armando Guebuza in March 2013.^[292]
Namibia	1990	Australia was an active supporter for the peaceful decolonization of Namibia, becoming a member of the United Nations Council on Namibia in 1974 and contributing military engineers to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group in 1989-1990 (see Australian contribution to UNTAG). Australia's high commissioner to Namibia is accredited from Pretoria and has an honorary consulate in Windhoek. Namibia has an honorary consulate-general in Sydney. Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Namibia in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations.^[293]
Niger	7 May 2009^[294]	Australia and Niger established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] Australia is accredited to Niger from Abuja, Nigeria. The first Australian ambassador presented credentials in Niamey on January 25, 2011.^[295]) Niger is accredited to Australia through its embassy in New Delhi, India. President Issoufou Mahamadou made the first visit to Australia by a Nigerien President in October 2017, to promote bilateral relations in such areas as mining, energy and dryland agriculture and security and counter-terrorism cooperation.^[296]
Nigeria	1 October 1960	Australia and Nigeria enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were established upon Nigeria's independence in 1960 with the appointment of an Australian high commissioner based in the then capital of Lagos. Periodic Nigeria-Australia Senior Officials Talks are held under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade signed in September 2012. The third such bilaterial discussions were held in Abuja in February 2020.^[297] Australia has a high commission in Abuja and an honorary consulate in Lagos. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Nigeria see List of high commissioners of Australia to Nigeria. Nigeria has a high commission in Canberra. There is a small but growing Nigerian-born community in Australia. The 2016 Australian census recorded 8,488 Nigerian-born residents. Migration from Nigeria started with students in the 1960s and nowadays continues through skilled and family migration.^[298] See also Nigerian Australians. Total merchandise trade between the countries in 2019-2020 was A$460 million, a significant element being Australian imports of crude petroleum.^[299] Nigeria-Australia Investment Fora, most recently held in Melbourne in 2020, have sought to promote an expansion of Australian investment.^[300]
Rwanda	2007	Australia and Rwanda enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were formalized in 2007.^[301] Australia's high commissioner is accredited from Nairobi, Kenya. Rwanda's high commissioner is accredited from Singapore. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Melbourne. The two countries' trading relationship is modest. In 2019-2020 the two-way merchandise trade was A$1.6 million.^[302] Rwanda exports coffee and tea to Australia while it has also attracted Australian companies in mining, agro-inputs and technology to Rwanda. Additionally, a sizable number of Rwandans have benefited from Australian government scholarships to pursue graduate and post-graduate courses in Australia over the years.^[303] In 1994-1995 Australia provided two small military medical contingents to support the post-genocide United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR II).^[304]
São Tomé and Príncipe	8 July 2009^[305]	Australia and São Tomé and Príncipe established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222] Australia is accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.^[306] São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to Australia through its embassy in Lisbon.
Senegal	26 September 1974^[258]	See Australia–Senegal relations Australia and Senegal established diplomatic relations with the accreditation in September 1974 of an Australian ambassador resident in Accra, Ghana. Senegal's ambassador to Australia is accredited from Tokyo, Japan. It maintains an honorary consulate-general in Melbourne. Two way merchandise trade between the countries was A$110 million in 2019–2020.^[307]
Seychelles	29 June 1976	Australia and Seychelles have enjoyed good relations, as members of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Indian Ocean Rim Association, dating back prior to Seychelles' independence. Then Prime Minister James Mancham made an official visit to Australia in April 1976.^[308] Diplomatic relations were established on 29 June 1976, Seychelles' independence day.^[309] Australia's high commissioner to Seychelles is resident in Port Louis, Mauritius. Seychelles' high commissioner to Australia is resident in New Delhi, India. There has been a significant Seychellois diaspora living in Australia, traditionally the largest outside Seychelles, although the number of Seychelles-born residents has dropped in recent years. The latest Australian Census in 2016 recorded 2,519 Seychelles-born people in Australia.^[310] The diaspora is significantly enlarged by second and third-generations of Seychellois ancestry who maintain links with the island nation. Many Seychelles political and business leaders have studied in Australia. Total merchandise trade between the two countries in 2019-2020 was valued at A$10.6 million.^[311] Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Seychelles in April 2009 to promote bilateral relations. This was reciprocated in August 2011 by the state visit of President James Michel.^[312] An Australian lawyer heads the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) established by the Seychelles National Assembly in 2018. The TRNUC is examining the political, human rights and legal legacy of Seychelles long-time authoritarian ruler France-Albert René.^[313]
Sierra Leone	9 October 1981^[314]	Australia and Sierra Leone have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were formally established in October 1981 with the appointment of the first non-resident Australian high commissioner. Australia is accredited to Sierra Leone from its high commission in Accra, Ghana. Sierra Leone is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Beijing, China. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Sydney. There is a small Sierra Leone community in Australia, the majority of whom have come after 2001 under the Humanitarian Program. The 2016 Australian census recorded 3,410 Sierra Leone-born persons.^[315] Australia has been active in contributing capacity development and small development projects in Sierra Leone, including support to peace building through financial and technical assistance to the UN Peace building Fund and the Special Court for Sierra Leone.^[316] Bilateral trade is modest. Total merchandise trade in 2019-2020 was A$4.5 million.^[317]
Somalia	2010	Australia established diplomatic relations with Somalia in 2010.^[318] Australia's ambassador to Somalia is accredited from Nairobi, Kenya. Somalia currently does not have representation to Australia. Australia has supported the state-building and counter-terrorism efforts of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and has provided humanitarian assistance. Australia's first involvement was to support the United Nations-approved Unified Task Force (UNITAF) which delivered humanitarian aid in 1992–1993. The Australian operation was called Operation Solace and involved the deployment of some 900 military personnel to provide a secure environment for the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Baidoa region. In May 1993, UNITAF handed over to a reinforced UNOSOM II. The Australian Battalion Group withdrew to Australia. The Australian Defence Force Contingent provided movement control, air traffic control, some HQ staff and a ready reaction security team at the Mogadishu airport. The Australian force was withdrawn in 1996.^[319] Australia provided over $61 million to Somalia in 2011 in response to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis and has since provided funding to support the AMISOM mission and humanitarian projects.^[320] In September 2012 following the election of Hassan Sheikh Ahmed Mohamoud, foreign minister Bob Carr said," Australia shares the cautious optimism of the international community about Somalia's future prospects."^[321] There is a small Somali community in Australia. Most Somalis began to settle in Australia in the early 1990s following the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia. About 80 per cent of the new arrivals came under the aegis of the local Refugee and Special Humanitarian Program. The latest Census in 2016 recorded 7,668 Somalia-born people in Australia, half of whom are resident in Victoria.^[322] See Somali Australians for more information. Trading ties are modest and mainly comprise Australian merchandise exports. In 2019-2020 this was valued at A$1.8m^[323]
South Africa	8 May 1946	See Australia–South Africa relations   Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce meets with Nelson Mandela during her stopover in South Africa, March 24, 2009. Australia announced the appointment of its first High Commissioner to South Africa in May 1946, with the high commission being established in Cape Town from August 1946. The Australian High Commission later moved to Pretoria. For a detailed history of Australian representation in South Africa see List of high commissioners of Australia to South Africa. South Africa established a High Commission in Canberra in 1949. For a detailed history of South African representation in Australia see List of high commissioners of South Africa to Australia. Both countries are historically linked through the British Empire and are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Following the adoption of the apartheid policy by South Africa in 1948, relations became increasingly strained, particularly from the 1970s onwards, although diplomatic relations were maintained. Relations have been normalized since the inauguration of the first democratically elected Government of South Africa in May 1994, and there are substantial political, economic and people-to-people links between the two countries. In his first year of freedom, Nelson Mandela visited Australia in 1990 to thank the country for opposing apartheid.^[324] According to the 2016 Australian census, 162,450 Australian residents were born in South Africa. South African-born immigrants have distinguished themselves in sport, the arts, media and business - see South African Australians. South Africa is Australia's largest export market in Africa with two-way trade in goods and services totaling A$3.141 billion in 2021. South Africa is also Australia's most significant investment partner in Africa, with bilateral investment valued at A$15.2 billion in 2021.^[325] Both countries are members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Antarctic Treaty System.
South Sudan	24 September 2011	Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and his South Sudanese counterpart, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Nhial Deng Nhial, sign a joint communique establishing diplomatic relations between Australia and South Sudan. Australia and South Sudan established diplomatic relations on 24 September 2011.^[210] Australia's ambassador is accredited on a non-resident basis from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. South Sudan's ambassador is accredited on a non-resident basis from Beijing. Australia is home to a significant South Sudanese community. According to the 2016 Australian Housing and Population Census, 7,699 Australian residents were born in South Sudan. Community leaders estimate that, counting persons born when South Sudan was part of the Republic of Sudan, and who report their birthplace as Sudan, the total is about 20,000. The majority of the South Sudan-born population arrived in Australia between 2001 and 2006 under Australia's refugee resettlement program.^[326] South Sudanese Australians have distinguished themselves in a wide variety of fields including sport, fashion, music and law. Australia has contributed almost $113 million in humanitarian assistance to South Sudan since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013, including over $60 million since 2017.^[327] Australia has a contingent of Australian Defence Force personnel in South Sudan who have been deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) since its inception in 2011.
Sudan	8 February 1974^[328]	Australia is accredited to Sudan from its embassy in Cairo, Egypt. Sudan has an embassy in Canberra, which took over the old Eritrean embassy and opened in 2017. Although Australia had been critical of human rights violations and political repression in Sudan, and has applied Sudan-related UN sanctions, relations have improved since 2017. In September 2018, Australia and Sudan held inaugural Senior Officials Talks in Canberra. The 2016 Australian Census recorded 17,031 Sudan-born people in Australia. Since 2001 many immigrants from Sudan, or those born to Sudanese parents in regugee camps, have come under the Humanitarian Program.^[329] Trade between the two countries is modest, totalling about A$10m in 2019–2020.^[330] Sudan regularly attends the Africa Down Under and the International Mining and Resources Conferences at ministerial level.
Tanzania	11 May 1962	Australia announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with Tanganyika on 11 May 1962. A resident high commission was opened in July 1962.^[76] The post was closed in 1987 for budgetary reasons. Australia has since been accredited to Tanzania from its high commission in Nairobi, Kenya. Tanzania is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. It also has honorary consulates in Adelaide and Perth. President Julius Nyerere made a 5-day state visit to Australia in March 1974.^[331]^[332] Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce paid a state visit to Tanzania in March 2009.^[333] There is a small Tanzanian community in Australia, with the Australian Census in 2016 recording 3,830 Tanzanian-born persons.^[334] Several Australian companies are involved in mining projects in Tanzania, and minerals and engineering equipment are Australia's main exports to the country. Tanzania's main exports to Australia are coffee and agricultural crops. Two-way merchandise trade between Australia and Tanzania was over $61 million in 2018–19.^[335]
Togo	22 July 2009^[336]	Australia and Togo established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia's engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.^[222]^[337] The Australian high commissioner is accredited from Accra. Togo has not yet established representation to Australia.
Tunisia	17 February 1977^[140]	Australia is accredited to Tunisia from its high commission in Malta. Tunisia maintained an embassy in Canberra for a number of years until 2021 and is now accredited to Australia from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. It also has an honorary consulate in Brisbane. Australia and Tunisia have a modest trading relationship, with two-way merchandise trade valued at about A$40 million in 2019–2020.^[338]
Uganda	23 August 1965^[261]	Australia and Uganda have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Diplomatic relations were announced in August 1965 with the accreditation of Australia's high commissioner based in Nairobi, Kenya. Australia also has an honorary consulate in Kampala. Uganda has a high commission in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Perth. The Australian-Uganda trade relationship is modest, with two-way merchandise trade and investment reaching almost A$7 million in 2018–19. The main Australian exports are engineering equipment, and the main imports are coffee and spices.^[339]
Zambia	1972	Australia is accredited to Zambia from its embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe. Zambia has a high commission in Canberra.^[340] Both countries are full members of Commonwealth of Nations. Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Zambia in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations.^[341]
Zimbabwe	18 April 1980	See Australia–Zimbabwe relations Australia and Zimbabwe established diplomatic relations upon Zimbabwe's independence on 18 April 1980.^[342] The Australian liaison office in Harare (then Salisbury) was upgraded on that date to a high commission (embassy since 2003 when Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth). For a detailed history of Australian representation in Zimbabwe see List of ambassadors of Australia to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has an embassy in Canberra, which opened in 1988. Australia played a leading role in the Lancaster House negotiations for the internationally recognised decolonisation of Southern Rhodesia and the then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser attended the independence celebrations on the invitation of then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. Australia had contributed to the Commonwealth Ceasefire Monitoring Force.^[343] Relations between the two countries soured in the late 1990s, following the implementation in Zimbabwe of a controversial land reform program and later the increasingly autocratic behaviour of the Mugabe government. In 2002, the Howard government in Australia imposed targeted sanctions against members of the Zimbabwean government in protest against the deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe. These sanctions, adjusted over time, remain in force as of 2021. They include an arms embargo and sanctions against listed individuals designated as having seriously undermined democracy, respect for human rights or the rule of law in Zimbabwe. There is a significant Zimbabwean diaspora in Australia. The latest Census in 2016 recorded 34,787 Zimbabwe-born people in Australia. While most of these are white Zimbabweans and of English or Scottish backgrounds, there are growing numbers of people of indigenous Shona and Ndebele ethnicities.^[344] Zimbabwean Australians across ethnic backgrounds have distinguished themselves in sports, music and the arts. Following Zimbabwe's independence, trade between the countries developed modestly, but is presently minimal (two-way trade in 2019-2020 was only about A$2 million).^[345]

Americas

Country	Formal relations began	Notes
Antigua and Barbuda		Australia and Antigua and Barbuda enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Both countries have established diplomatic relations.^[346] Australia is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Antigua and Barbuda have not yet established representation in Australia.
Argentina	December 10, 1959	See Argentina–Australia relations Australia and Argentina agreed in December 1959 through an exchange of notes to establish diplomatic relations.^[347] Australia has an embassy in Buenos Aires, established in 1962. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Argentina see List of ambassadors of Australia to Argentina. Argentina has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney. There is significant trade and investment between the two countries. Two-way merchandise trade in 2021-22 was over A$1.5 billion. In 2021 Australian investment in Argentina was valued at just over A$1 billion.^[348] The two countries have a reciprocal work and holiday visa agreement and Australia is a destination for Argentine students studying abroad. In July 1986, President Raúl Alfonsin became the first Argentine head of state to visit Australia. In March 1998, President Carlos Menem also made a state visit to Australia. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Argentina in 2016.^[349] Scott Morrison was the first Australian Prime Minister to visit Argentina during 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit. Both countries are members of multi-national groups such as the G20 and Cairns Group and share common interests in many issues such as Antarctica and international peacekeeping.
Bahamas	7 January 1974	Australia and the Bahamas enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.^[350] Australia is accredited to the Bahamas from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The Bahamas has an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Barbados	7 January 1974	See Australia–Barbados relations Australia and Barbados enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.^[350] Australia is accredited to Barbados from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.^[351] The lone Australian High Commission in the Caribbean was located in Bridgetown, Barbados from 1994 to 2004, before it moved to Port of Spain. Australia also has an honorary consulate in Bridgetown. Barbados is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Ottawa, Canada.
Belize	17 January 1982	Australia and Belize enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia and Belize are Co-Chairs with Mauritius of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Coral Reef Protection and Restoration, and members of the International Coral Reef Initiative.^[352] Australia is accredited to Belize from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.^[353] Belize has an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Bolivia	10 April 1975^[354]	The first non-resident Australian ambassador to Bolivia presented credentials on 14 October 1975.^[355] Australia is accredited to Bolivia from its embassy in Lima, Peru and maintains an honorary consulate in La Paz. Bolivia is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Ottawa, Canada and maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney. Bolivia and Australia work together, as part of the Cairns Group, on agricultural trade reform. In 2002 the Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Mark Vaile visited Santa Cruz for a Cairns Group meeting. Australia also provides a small amount of development assistance to Bolivia at local community level through its Direct Aid Program. There is a small bilateral trade relationship. Total merchandise trade in 2020 was A$26 million, mostly comprising Bolivian food-related exports to Australia.^[356] There is investment in mining services and technology. Australia–Bolivia bilateral treaties include two extradition treaties.
Brazil	7 June 1945	See Australia–Brazil relations Australia has an embassy in Brasília, a consulate-general in São Paulo and an honorary consulate in Rio de Janeiro. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Brazil see List of ambassadors of Australia to Brazil. Brazil has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, and Perth. Brazilians form the largest migrant group from Latin America resident in Australia - see Brazilian Australians. The 2016 Australian census recorded 27,625 residents born in Brazil and 21,353 residents of Brazilian descent. As of 2020, Brazil was also the fifth largest source of international students studying in Australia. Two-way trade in goods and services in 2021-22 was A$4.8 billion, a significant element of which was Australian exports of coal. Australian investments in Brazil in 2021 was valued at A$9.6 billion and Brazilian investments in Australia totaled almost A$5 billion. Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited Brazil in 2012 and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff visited Australia for a G20 meeting in 2014. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Brazil during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Canada	12 September 1939	See Australia–Canada relations   Australia House, Canada, is an example of an Australian mission (it serves as the ambassadorial residence). As Canada is a fellow Commonwealth nation, Australia maintains a High Commission there. Australia and Canada have a longstanding relationship that has been fostered by both countries' shared history and culture as former British Dominions and present members of the Commonwealth of Nations. There are significant political, economic, academic and people-to-people links. Australia has a high commission in Ottawa, a consulate-general in Toronto, and a consulate in Vancouver. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Canada see List of high commissioners of Australia to Canada. Canada has a high commission in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney. For a detailed history of Canadian representation in Australia see List of high commissioners of Canada to Australia. The Australian 2016 Census recorded 43,053 Canada-born people in Australia.^[357] There is a working holiday program in place which allows young people to travel and work for set periods in each other's country. Bilateral trade and investment is substantial. In 2019–20, two-way trade was $4.7 billion in goods and A$3 billion in services. At the end of 2019, Australian investment in Canada was valued at $83.4 billion and Canadian investment in Australia was valued at $60.7 billion.^[358] Both countries are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Canada's and Australia's militaries have fought alongside each other numerous times including the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and many United Nations Security Council-sanctioned missions. To maintain this military alliance, a Canadian Defence Advisor is stationed at the High Commission in Canberra to share intelligence.^[359] Australia and Canada both contributed to the International force in East Timor and both worked closely together to fight terrorism in Afghanistan. They are both members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Canada, Australia and New Zealand have a history of working together in the United Nations (UN) on issues ranging from security to development to human rights, including through an informal grouping known as CANZ. There are regular high level exchanges of political visits between the two countries. Australian Prime Ministers John Curtin and John Howard have addressed joint sessions of the Canadian Parliament in 1944 and 2006 respectively. In 2007 Stephen Harper became the first Canadian Prime Minister to address the Australian Parliament. Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce visited Canada in 2013.
Chile	27 December 1945	See Australia–Chile relations During the Australian gold rush of the 1850s, Chile became one of Australia's major food suppliers. After 1866, however, interaction and trade was minimal until after the Second World War.^[360] The intention to exchange diplomatic representatives between the two countries was announced in April 1945. The Chilean consulate was upgraded to a legation and headed by a Chargé d'Affaires en titre from July 1945.^[361] The first Australian Minister to Chile was appointed in January 1946^[362] and presented credentials in August 1946. The Australian legation closed for budgetary reasons in 1949. Relations were upgraded to ambassadorial level in the 1960s when the Australian embassy was opened in 1968 and Chile reciprocated with an upgrade of its legation in 1969. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Chile see List of ambassadors of Australia to Chile. Australia has an embassy in Santiago. Chile has an embassy in Canberra, consulates-general in Melbourne and Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane and Perth. In 1993, President Patricio Aylwin became the first Chilean head of state to pay an official visit to Australia.^[363] In 2004, Prime Minister John Howard became the first Australian head of government to visit Chile and to attend the APEC Summit. Governor General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Chile in 2016.^[364] There are strong people-to-people links between the two countries. The 2016 Australian census recorded 26,086 Chile-born people in Australia.^[365] Australia is also a popular destination for Chilean students and there is a working holiday agreement between the two countries. See also Chilean Australians. Both countries are members of APEC and the Cairns Group. Australia and Chile signed the Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement on 30 July 2008. The agreement came into effect in the first quarter of 2009. Two-way merchandise trade in 2020 was over A$1.26 billion and Australian investment in Chile was A$2.8 billion.^[366]
Colombia	9 September 1975	Australia has an embassy in Bogotá, upgraded from a consulate-general in 2017. Prior to this it was accredited on a non-resident basis from neighbouring Latin American countries. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Colombia see List of ambassadors of Australia to Colombia. Colombia has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane, Darwin and Perth. Economic problems and violence led to an emigration of Colombians to Australia in the 1980s. Colombians are one of the largest South American migrant groups in Australia - see Colombian Australians. The 2016 Australian census recorded 18,996 residents born in Colombia and 17,984 residents of Colombian descent. Australia is also an increasing destination for Colombians studying abroad, with almost 19,000 recorded in 2020.^[367] Two-way trade in goods and services in 2021-22 totaled A$867 million, a significant element of which was Australian educational services to Colombian students. In 2021 Australian investments in Colombia totaled A$633 million.^[368] Both armies fought alongside each other in the Korean war.
Costa Rica	15 October 1974	In 1884, Costa Rica opened a consular office in New South Wales.^[369] Australia and Costa Rica established formal diplomatic relations in October 1974, with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident Ambassador.^[370] Australia is accredited to Costa Rica through its embassy in Mexico City. It also has an honorary consulate in San Jose. Costa Rica opened an Embassy in Canberra in 2017. It also has an honorary consulate in Sydney. Costa Rica is Australia's second largest trading partner in Central America. Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-2020 was A$132 million, mostly Australian imports of medical instruments and other manufactured goods.^[371]
Cuba	31 January 1989	Australia is accredited to Cuba from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. Cuba has an embassy in Canberra, opened on 24 October 2008, and a consulate-general in Sydney. Prior to a thawing of relations in the late 1980s, official exchanges between the two countries were limited and, from the early 1960s, characterized by the two countries being firmly on opposite sides of the Cold War. Australia was suspicious of Cuban internationalist activities in the Pacific and only in the 1980s was a Cuban consulate allowed to open in Sydney. This changed substantially as the Cold War began to be wound down. Full diplomatic relations were established under the Bob Hawke government in January 1989. Since 1996, Australia has voted in favor of Cuba's annual resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for an end to the United States embargo against Cuba. Since the 1990s, Australia has recognised the value of Cuban development engagement in the Pacific and has worked with Cuba to support the integration of Cuban-trained doctors into Pacific Island health systems. An Australia-Cuba Business Council, set up on 2015, promotes business, sport, and cultural exchange. There have been exchanges in recent years at senior ministerial level, with Australian foreign ministers Gareth Evans, Stephen Smith and Julie Bishop visiting Cuba in 1995, 2009 and 2017 respectively, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez visiting Australia in 2010 and Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Marcelino Medina González visiting in 2018.
Dominica		Australia and Dominica enjoy good relations, with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Australia is accredited to Dominica from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Dominica has not yet established representation in Australia. The Australian Government provided A$1.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Dominica through the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Population Fund after Hurricane Maria in 2017.^[372]
Dominican Republic	22 April 1997	Australia and the Dominican Republic established diplomatic relations on 22 April 1997^[373] Australia is accredited to the Dominican Republic from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. The Dominican Republic is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. It also has an honorary consulate in Adelaide. Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-20 was valued at almost A$69 million, a large component being Australian imports of medical instruments.^[374]
Ecuador		Australia is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Santiago, Chile and has an honorary consulate in Guayaquil. Ecuador has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Adelaide and Melbourne. There is a small Ecuadorian community in Australia. The 2016 Australian census recorded 2,225 Ecuador-born residents and 2,153 residents of Ecuardorian descent. A new Work and Holiday Visa arrangement between Australia and Ecuador commenced in 2019–20. Trade between the two countries is modest, amounting to A$93 million in 2021–22.^[375] In November 2017, an Australia-Ecuador Business Summit was held in Quito to promote Australia's expertise and capacity to support Ecuador's growing mining sector.
El Salvador	5 December 1983	See Australia–El Salvador relations Australia is accredited to El Salvador from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico and has an honorary consulate in San Salvador. El Salvador has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Melbourne and honorary consulates in Brisbane and Sydney. In response to the civil war in El Salvador, between 1983 and 1986 Australia accepted around 10,000 Salvadorans under the Special Humanitarian Program. The Salvadoran community in Australia is estimated at 20,000. Australia is home to the third largest Salvadoran community living abroad.^[376] See also Salvadoran Australians.
Grenada		Australia and Grenada enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Australia is accredited to Grenada from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.^[377] Grenada has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
Guatemala	7 January 1974	Australia is accredited to Guatemala from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico and has an honorary consulate in Tegucigalpa. Guatemala has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Melbourne and Sydney. Bilateral trade is modest, amounting to A$46m in 2021–22. An important element of this was Australian imports of coffee.^[378]
Guyana	7 January 1974	Australia and Guyana enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.^[350] Australia is accredited to Guyana from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Guyana is accredited to Australia from its high commission in Ottawa, Canada. Bilateral merchandise trade between the two countries was A$7 million in 2019–20.^[379] Guyana attended at ministerial level the 2017 Latin America Down Under Conference in Perth, to promote investment and cooperation in the mining sector.^[380]
Haiti	2000	Australia and Haiti established diplomatic relations in 2000.^[381] Australia is accredited to Haiti from its High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago. Haiti has an honorary consulate in Melbourne. After the devastating 2010 earthquake, the Australian Government provided A$26.7 million in humanitarian assistance to Haiti which was matched by A$26 million from the Australian public. Australia has since provided further humanitarian aid to Haiti after subsequent natural disasters, including Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Honduras	10 July 1984	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1984 when Mr. Cavan Hogue, Australian Ambassador presented his credentials to President of Honduras Roberto Suazo Cordova.^[161] Australia and Honduras established diplomatic relations in 1984.^[382] Australia is accredited to Honduras from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. It also has an honorary consulate in Tegucigalpa. Honduras has not yet established representation in Australia. Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-20 reached A$81 million, mostly Australian imports of mineral ores, coffee and textiles.^[383]
Jamaica	7 January 1974	Australia and Jamaica enjoy good relations through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.^[350] Australia is accredited to Jamaica from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. It has an honorary consulate in Kingston. The Australian high commission to the Caribbean was located in Kingston From 1975 until 1994, when it moved to Barbados. Jamaica is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. It has an honorary consulate in Sydney. Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019-20 was valued at A$33 million, a large component of which was Australian meat exports.^[384]
Mexico	14 March 1966^[385]	See Australia–Mexico relations Australia has an embassy in Mexico City and an honorary consulate in Cancun. Mexico has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Mexico is Australia's largest merchandise trading partner in Latin America. Two way trade in goods and services in 2021-22 was over $4.4 billion, substantially Australian imports of vehicles and other manufactures and metal ores. Australian investments in Mexico in 2021 totaled A$5.9 billion, primarily in the infrastructure and energy sectors, and Mexican investments in Australia were valued at A$0.5 billion.^[386] The expanding trade relationship is supported by mutual membership of APEC and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Australia's first free trade agreement with Mexico. The two countries also work closely together on international questions through the MIKTA group, an informal middle power partnership between Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia. In 1973, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam became the first Australian head-of-government to pay an official visit to Mexico, followed later by Prime Ministers Malcom Fraser, John Howard and Julia Gillard in 1981, 2002 and 2012 respectively. In 1990, Carlos Salinas de Gortari became the first Mexican President to visit Australia. This was followed by President Felipe Calderón in 2007 and President Enrique Peña Nieto in 2014. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Mexico in August 2016, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.^[387]
Nicaragua	1987	Australia and Nicaragua established diplomatic relations in 1987.^[388] Australia is accredited to Nicaragua from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. Nicaragua is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Bilateral merchandise trade is modest. In 2019-20 this was valued at A$18.6 million, half of which was Australian imports of coffee.^[389]
Panama	1974	Australia and Panama established diplomatic relations in 1974.^[390] Australia is accredited to Panama from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. It has an honorary consulate in Panama City. Panama opened an embassy in Canberra in 2018. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Sydney. Bilateral merchandise trade is modest. In 2019-20 this reached A$80 million, mostly Australian exports of manufactured articles.^[391]
Paraguay	30 November 1974	See Australia–Paraguay relations Australia and Paraguay established diplomatic relations in 1974, with the first non-resident Australian ambassador presenting his credentials on 2 December 1974.^[392] Australia is accredited to Paraguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has an honorary consulate in Asuncion. Paraguay opened an embassy in Canberra in 2011. As agricultural producers and exporters, the two countries work together to achieve fairer international trade in agricultural products through membership of the Cairns Group and co-operation in other multilateral fora. Australia is also increasing its engagement with Paraguay through development co-operation and people-to-people exchanges. An increasing number of Paraguayan students are pursuing their education at Australian institutions.^[393]
Peru	1 March 1963	Main article: Australia–Peru relations Australia has an embassy in Lima. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Peru see List of ambassadors of Australia to Peru. Peru has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney, and honorary consulates in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. There are growing people-to-people links between Australia and Peru. The 2016 Australian census recorded 9,553 residents born in Peru. There is a working holiday visa agreement between the two countries and Australia is a destination for Peruvian students studying abroad. Economic ties between the two countries have developed rapidly in recent years. In 2018–19, Australia's two-way trade with Peru was worth A$656 million. A Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA) entered into force on 11 February 2020. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Peru in 2016 to attend the APEC summit.
Saint Kitts and Nevis	6 February 1986	Australia and Saint Kitts and Nevis enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident high commissioner on 6 February 1986.^[394]^[395] Australia is accredited to St Kitts and Nevis from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. St Kitts and Nevis have not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
Saint Lucia	1982^[396]	Australia and Saint Lucia enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Australia is accredited to Saint Lucia from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Saint Lucia has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	31 January 1986	Australia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident high commissioner on 31 January 1986.^[397] Australia is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.^[398] Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have an honorary consulate in Sydney.
Suriname	3 February 1994^[399]	Australia is accredited to Suriname from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Suriname is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. Bilateral trade is modest, valued at A$12 million in 2021-11 and mostly Australian vehicle exports.^[400]
Trinidad and Tobago	7 January 1974^[350]	Australia and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and have sporting ties, particularly cricket. Australia has a high commission in Port of Spain which is also accredited on a non-resident basis to other Commonwealth Caribbean countries. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Trinidad and Tobago see Australian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago has not yet established representation in Australia. Prime Minister Keith Rowley visited Australia in May 2018. Bilateral trade reached A$75 million in 2020–21, the main elements being Australian meat and cheese exports and fertilizer imports.^[401] BHP is Australia's largest investor in Trinidad and Tobago, accounting for approximately 10% of Trinidad and Tobago's oil and gas production.
United States	8 January 1940	Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, with US President George W. Bush on 16 May 2006, during Howard's seventh official visit to the White House as Prime Minister. From left to right: the Prime Minister's wife Janette Howard, former US First Lady Laura Bush, Howard and Bush. See Australia–United States relations While Australia has emphasised its relationship with the United States since 1942, as Britain's influence in Asia declined. At the governmental level, United-States-Australia relations are formalized by the ANZUS treaty and the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. Australia has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and has consulates-general in Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco. United States has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Uruguay	1948	See Australia–Uruguay relations Australia is accredited to Uruguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina and maintains an honorary consulate in Montevideo. Uruguay has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney. Australia and Uruguay have had consular relations since 1923 and diplomatic relations since 1948 through an exchange of notes.^[402] Uruguay opened a legation in Canberra in 1958 and this was raised to embassy in 1968 with the concurrent non-resident accreditation of an Australian ambassador. The first migrants from Uruguay came to Australia in the 1960s with growing numbers in the 1970s due to repression by the then military dictatorship in Uruguay. The 2016 Australian census reported almost 9,000 Uruguay-born residents, and over 7,800 residents of Uruguayan descent. The two countries share a long history of collaboration to advance global reforms of agricultural trade through the Cairns Group. Australia and Uruguay also share an interest in the Antarctic waters and the fisheries therein and collaborate through the Antarctic Treaty System. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made an official visit to Uruguay in August 2016.^[403]
Venezuela	31 May 1973^[404]	Australia is currently accredited to Venezuela from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Venezuela see List of ambassadors of Australia to Venezuela. Venezuela has an embassy in Canberra. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s Australian governments were keen to promote expanded trade and investment between the two countries. Australia maintained an embassy in Caracas from 1979 until 2002. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Tim Fischer visited Caracas in June 1996 and as a result a number of key areas for development were identified including the mining, agriculture and maritime sectors.^[405] However progress has been constrained by political and economic instability in Venezuela, particularly since the launch of the Bolivarian Revolution by President Hugo Chávez . Bilateral trade is currently small, amounting to about A$20 million in 2020, mostly related to export of educational services to Venezuelan students.^[406] Australia's investment interests in Venezuela have focussed on the mining and related services sectors. There is a small Venezuelan community in Australia, expanded by skilled immigration since 2005. The 2016 Australian census recorded 5,460 Venezuela-born people in Australia.^[407] Notwithstanding Australia's decision in January 2019 to formally recognise Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela,^[408]^[409] the embassy in Canberra representing the Nicolás Maduro Government has remained fully accredited.

Asia

Country	Formal relations began	Notes
Afghanistan	30 March 1969^[410]	An Australian service light armored vehicle drives through Tangi Valley, Afghanistan, March 29, 2011. Australia and Afghanistan have shared a friendly and long-standing relationship which can be traced back as far as the 1860s when Afghan cameleers came to Australia to contribute to the carriage of explorers, assistance in transportation for the wool and mining industry and supporting major inland infrastructure projects such as the overland telegraph and railways. The early cameleers built the first mosques in Australia, with the oldest permanent mosque built in Adelaide in 1888.^[411] The Ghan train is named in their honour.^[412] Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1969. The Australian ambassador was accredited from Islamabad and the Afghan ambassador was accredited from Tokyo.^[413] In 1975 the then Australian Governor General Sir John Kerr made the first state visit between the countries.^[414] Diplomatic relations were suspended between the 1978 coup which deposed President Mohammed Daoud Khan and the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2002. However consular relations were re-established in 1994 with the opening of an Afghan honorary consulate in Australia by the government of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The consulate continued operation after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 1996.^[415] In late 2001, the Australian Defence Force commenced Operation Slipper as Australia's contribution to assist the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission in the War in Afghanistan and the War on Terror to combat the Taliban and their allied groups.^[416] The operation ended on 31 December 2014 and was replaced with Operation Highroad, which commenced on 1 January 2015 to assist the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission.^[417] Australia completed a withdrawal of its remaining troops based in Afghanistan in June 2021^[418] Diplomatic relations resumed in 2002. An Afghan embassy was opened in Canberra in July 2002 by the Interim Afghan administration of Hamid Karzai. The same year, Australia resumed its non-resident accreditation from Islamabad. An Australian embassy was opened in Kabul in 2006. It has been closed since the end of May 2021.^[419] Since September 2021, an Australian Interim Mission on Afghanistan has been based in Doha, Qatar, headed by a Special Representative. For a detailed history of Australian diplomatic representation to Afghanistan see List of ambassadors of Australia to Afghanistan. A Comprehensive Long-term Partnership Between Australia and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was signed in 2012 to provide the framework for Australian development assistance and the promotion of political, security, economic, social and cultural ties between the two nations.^[420] Between 2001 and 2021, Australia provided more than $1.5 billion in Official Development Assistance to Afghanistan^[421] Australia has also accepted many Afghan refugees, with the first wave following the Soviet invasion in 1979. According to the 2016 Australian census 46,800 Australians were born in Afghanistan - see Afghan Australians. President Ashraf Ghani made the first visit to Australia by an Afghan head of state in April 2017. Governors-General Quentin Bryce, Peter Cosgrove and David Hurley and successive Prime Ministers visited Afghanistan in the period when Australian troops were stationed there. Since the Taliban victory in 2021, Australia has not recognised the Islamic Emirate government and continues to accredit the embassy of the Islamic Republic in Canberra.
Armenia	15 January 1992	See Armenia–Australia relations The Australian government recognised Armenia's independence on 26 December 1991, upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics^[422] and established diplomatic relations early the following year. Australia's ambassador is accredited from Moscow, Russia. Armenia's ambassador is accredited from Tokyo, Japan. The first Armenian ambassador presented credentials in December 2022. A substantial number of Australians are of Armenian descent. The Armenian community in Australia is estimated to be 50,000 people, primarily residing in Sydney and Melbourne. The first Armenians migrated to Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush. The majority came to Australia in the 1960s - 1990s from Egypt, Cyprus and Lebanon.^[423] Australians of Armenian descent have attained prominence in politics, business, sport, academia and culture - see Armenian Australians. The Armenian Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr Vardan Oskanyan, visited Australia in October 2005. The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia has not passed a motion recognising the Armenian genocide in 1915, although the State of New South Wales has done so.
Azerbaijan	19 June 1992	See Australia–Azerbaijan relations The Australian government recognised Azerbaijan's independence on 26 December 1991, upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics^[422] and established diplomatic relations the following year. Australia is accredited to Azerbaijan from its embassy in Ankara, Turkey. Azerbaijan has an embassy in Canberra. Bilateral trade in 2021-22 was almost A$80 million, the major element being Australian imports of crude petroleum.^[424] In February 2020, the government of Azerbaijan provided material assistance to Australia to combat the impact of forest fires.^[425] With regard to Azerbaijan's conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Australia supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group to resolve the conflict.^[426]
Bahrain	13 April 1987	Australia has long standing ties with Bahrain that predate its full independence in 1971. Australia maintained a consulate-general in Manama from 1964 to 1986. Formal diplomatic relations were established in April 1987 with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident ambassador.^[427] Australia's ambassador is accredited from Riyadh and Bahrain's ambassador is accredited from Jakarta. Bahrain is an important trading partner for Australia. In 2018–19, Australian merchandise exports were worth $1.43 billion. Australia's exports mainly comprised alumina, meat, dairy products and wheat.^[428] Bahrain provides port access to Australian naval ships. The two countries participate in the Australia, Bahrain and Israel Food Security Initiative under the 2020 Abraham Accords.^[429]
Bangladesh	31 January 1972	See Australia–Bangladesh relations On 31 January 1972, Australia became the first country in the developed world to recognize Bangladesh's independence following the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War.^[430] An Australian deputy high commission was opened in Dhaka in April 1969 and this was upgraded to an embassy on 31 January 1972 and then high commission following Bangladesh's admission to the Commonwealth of Nations in April 1972. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Bangladesh see List of high commissioners of Australia to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has a high commission in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney and an honorary consulate in Perth. Since 1970, migration to Australia from Bangladesh steadily increased with the majority arriving as skilled migrants. The 2021 Census recorded more than 51,000 people born in Bangladesh living in Australia. Australia has also been an increasing destination for Bangladeshi students. In 2018, just under 7,000 Bangladeshi students enrolled to study in Australia.^[431] The two countries enjoy a competitive sporting relationship in Test Cricket. Australia and Bangladesh work closely on a range of common strategic interests in regional and global forums, including as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. In 2008, Bangladesh signed a bilateral counter-terrorism MOU with Australia, their first with any country. Bilateral trade in 2021-22 reached over A$3.6 billion, including A$1.5 billion in Australian imports mostly in the textile sector. Bangladesh is an important importer of Australian agricultural produce and education services. Australian investments in Bangladesh totaled A$324 million in 2021.^[432] Bangladesh is a significant recipient of foreign aid from Australia. Total official development assistance in 2023-2024 was A$116.2 million^[433]
Bhutan	14 September 2002^[434]	Relations between Bhutan and Australia date back to 1962 when Bhutan was just emerging from self-imposed isolation and starting to engage with the rest of the world. Australia's support at the time was instrumental in Bhutan being admitted as a member of the Colombo Plan. Subsequently, Australia was among the first countries to support and welcome Bhutan's membership to the United Nations in 1971.^[435] Australia and Bhutan established formal diplomatic relations on 14 September 2002. Australia's ambassador is accredited from New Delhi. Bhutan established a resident embassy in Canberra in September 2021, having previously accredited its ambassador from Bangkok. Bhutan also has an honorary consulate in Sydney. There has been a rapid increase in recent years in Bhutanese immigration and student enrollments in Australia, resulting in Bhutan's largest diaspora, with almost 12,000 Bhutanese residing in Australia in 2022.^[436] Australia is a modest trade and development cooperation partner to Bhutan. Total Australian Official Development Assistance to Bhutan in 2023-2024 was budgeted for A$4.9m million.^[437] In October 2016, LyonchhenTshering Tobgay made the first visit by a Bhutanese Prime Minister to Australia.
Brunei	1 January 1984	See Australia–Brunei relations Bilateral historical links stretch back to the Second World War when, in 1945, Australian forces landed at Muara Beach as part of the Allied campaign to liberate Borneo, and common membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia established a resident commission in Bandar Seri Begawan in March 1983 and this was upgraded to high commission in 1984 upon Brunei's full independence. For a detailed history of Australian representation in Brunei see List of high commissioners of Australia to Brunei. Brunei has a high commission in Canberra. Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Brunei in October 2012. This was reciprocated by the Sultan of Brunei in May 2013.^[438] Bilateral trade in merchandise and services reached A$933 million in 2018, the main element being Australian imports of crude petroleum. Australia was Brunei's fourth largest export destination in 2018. Australian investments in Brunei totaled A$77 million and Brunei investments in Australia were valued at A$114 million.^[439] They are both party to the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). They are also both signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and founding members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).
Cambodia	15 January 1952	See Australia–Cambodia relations Australia has an embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodia has an embassy in Canberra. Diplomatic relations between Australia and Cambodia were established in 1952 with the appointment of an Australian Minister, resident in Saigon.^[440] An Australian legation was opened in Phnom Penh in 1955.^[441] Diplomatic relations were raised to Ambassadorial level in 1959. Australia maintained relations with the Khmer Republic following the military coup of 1970. The Australian embassy closed in 1975 ahead of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge on 17 April 1975. That day, Australia recognised the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea, soon replaced by the fully Khmer Rouge-controlled government of Democratic Kampuchea, but diplomatic relations were effectively suspended during the entire period of Khmer Rouge rule. In solidarity with ASEAN countries, Australia did not recognise the People's Republic of Cambodia following the 1979 Vietnamese invasion, and continued to recognise the Democratic Kampuchea government-in-exile. However, it withdrew recognition on 14 February 1981 in response to information about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.^[442] Australia played a leading role in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in the early 1990s. In November 1991, Australia's diplomatic presence in Phnom Penh resumed with the appointment of a Permanent Representative to the Supreme National Council of Cambodia,^[443] upgraded in 1993 to Ambassador to the restored Royal Government of Cambodia. Australia has been a substantial contributor to Cambodian development projects since the early 1990s. Cambodia and Australia signed a controversial refugee resettlement deal in September 2014.^[444] There are over 66,000 people of Cambodian origin living in Australia (2016 Census). Cambodian refugees began arriving in Australia after the Khmer Rouge regime gained power in 1975, with numbers peaking in the 1980s. Approximately 6,000-7,000 Australians reside in Cambodia, most being dual Cambodian-Australian citizens or expatriates involved in development assistance work or business.^[445] The two-way trade relationship is modest ($752 million in 2019) but has been growing quickly. Australia and Cambodia are parties to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
China	21 December 1972	See Australia–China relations   Gough Whitlam during his visit to China in 1973. Australia and the People's Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations on 21 December 1972. Australia has an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenyang. China has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. * Significant Chinese migration started in the middle of the nineteenth century and Chinese now form the second largest migrant community in Australia. The 2016 Australian census recorded 509,555 China-born people in Australia.^[446] Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's 1973 diplomatic trip was the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister^[447] This was followed over the years by regular visits of China's Paramount leaders and Premiers and Australia's Governors-General and Prime Ministers as the relationship deepened. On two occasions, in 2003^[448] and 2014,^[449] China's Paramount leaders have accepted rare invitations to address the Australian Parliament. In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a "comprehensive strategic partnership"^[450] A China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entered into force in December 2015.^[451] China is Australia's largest two-way trading partner in goods and services. In 2020 Australia accounted for $53.5 billion (2.1%) of China's exports, ranking 13th among its top trade partners.^[452] Prior to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia was a major destination for Chinese tourists and students. Beginning in mid-2017, the relationship has significantly deteriorated. Points of friction include Australia's ban on Huawei's participation in the implementation of a 5G network on national security grounds; new Australian foreign investment and anti-espionage laws; Australian criticism of China in relation to its stance on the South China Sea dispute, the treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and changes in electoral and security laws in Hong Kong; a new defence pact between Australia and Japan and reactivation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with the United States, Japan and India; Australia's lead in calling for an independent international investigation into the origins of COVID-19; and the formation of AUKUS in September 2021, under which the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.^[453] By 2020 China had suspended all high-level diplomatic and trade dialogue channels and halted trade in a number of economically important sectors.^[454] In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including Australia, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups, urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang re-education camps.^[455] In November 2020 the Chinese embassy in Australia released to the media a long list of grievances, which were promptly rejected by the Australian Government.^[456] Through 2021 and much of 2022, relations between the two countries remained tense.^[457] Following the election of the Albanese government in May 2022, leader and ministerial contacts have modestly restarted.^[458] Australians` trust in China has plunged. The 2021 Lowy Institute Poll, released in June 2021, found only 16 per cent of Australian respondents trusted China "a great deal" or "somewhat" to act responsibly in the world – a third of the number from 2018.^[459]
Georgia	16 July 1992	Australia recognised Georgia's independence and established diplomatic relations in 1992. Australia's embassy in Turkey is accredited to Georgia. Georgia has an embassy in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Melbourne. In 2008 Australia provided $1 million in humanitarian aid to Georgia in the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian War. Australia has supported Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in international fora and does not recognise the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia established with Russian support. There is a small community of Georgian-born people in Australia and modest trade relations.^[460]
India	1941	See Australia–India relations^[461]   Australian PM Albanese along with Indian PM Modi during the 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket Event. India established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1941, six years before its independence. The Australian Government subsequently supported the independence of India and Pakistan from the British Empire.^[462] India and Australia share close historical ties, with both countries being former British colonies and members of the Commonwealth of Nations. They also share close sporting ties, with both countries sharing their passion for cricket.^[463] They also compete against each other in field hockey and in the Commonwealth Games. Economic relations between the two nations is strong, with India being Australia's fourth largest export partner and the eighth largest trading partner.^[464] In 1963 Australia provide defence aid to India in the face of Chinese action.^[465] In 2009, relations were strained between the two nations by attacks on Indian students (termed Curry Bashings) in Melbourne.^[466] Police denied any racial motivation, but this was viewed differently by the Government of India leading to high-level meetings with Australian officials.^[467] The persistent refusal of Australia to sell uranium to India due to the latter not being a signatory to the NPT has also hampered bilateral relations. However, this policy was reversed in 2011.^[468] On 4 June 2020, India and Australia signed an agreement to provide access to one another's military bases, in order to help facilitate joint military exercises. Known as the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, it allows each country to use the other's bases for the refuelling and maintenance of aircraft and naval vessels.^[469] The agreement was reached over a virtual summit between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[470] PM Albanese attended the 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket Event hosted by PM Modi in March 2023 to celebrate 75 years of strong diplomatic and cricketing ties between the two nations. During this trip, Albanese visited New Delhi to attend the Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit. During the visit, he also led a trade delegation, which included Trade Minister Don Farrell and Resources Minister Madeleine King, after the implementation of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India on 29 December 2022. Albanese attended the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit in India.
Indonesia	17 March 1950	See Australia–Indonesia relations Bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries are among their most important. Australia was supportive of Indonesian independence after World War II, particularly after giving de facto recognition to the Republican government of Indonesia on July 9, 1947,^[471] and subsequently advocated for it in the United Nations. Australia recognized the United States of Indonesia on December 27, 1949, immediately following the completion that day of transfer of sovereignty by the Netherlands.^[472] Diplomatic relations were formally established on 17 March 1950 and the Australian consulate-general in Jakarta was raised to an embassy.^[473] An Indonesian embassy was opened in Canberra in April 1950. Australia maintains an embassy in Jakarta (see List of ambassadors of Australia to Indonesia) and consulates-general in Bali, Makassar and Surabaya. Indonesia maintains an embassy in Canberra (see List of ambassadors of Indonesia to Australia), consulates-general in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney and a consulate in Darwin. The relationship has gone through some strained periods, despite which both countries sought to avoid ruptures and Australia has maintained a significant development aid program since Indonesian independence. Throughout the 1950s Australia did not recognize Indonesian claims to Western New Guinea though by the early 1960s it became reconciled to Indonesian administration and recognized the results of the controversial 1969 Act of Free Choice whereby Indonesia assumed full sovereignty over the territory. While in subsequent decades the Australian government has taken care to reassure Indonesia with regard to its full support for Indonesian territorial integrity, there continues to be an important constituency within Australia supporting Western New Guinea self-determination and the switch of Australian policy on East Timor remains a cautionary example for Indonesian politicians. Australia vigorously supported Malaysia during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation during 1963-1966, contributing to the Commonwealth military forces supporting Malaysia. Australia was suspicious of President Sukarno's flirtation with the Communist Party of Indonesia and relations stabilized and grew closer following President Suharto's rise to power in 1966 and adoption of a strong anti-communist stance. Australia and Indonesia share the world’s longest maritime boundary and are naturally close maritime partners. In 1971 and 1972, Australia and Indonesia agreed to maritime boundaries establishing the limits of their respective continental shelves. The Whitlam government and Fraser government supported Indonesia's seizure of Portuguese Timor in 1975, and Australia granted de facto recognition in January 1978 and de jure recognition effectively by early 1979 when seabed boundary negotiations for the East Timor sector and Australian ministerial visits to the territory commenced. This was not formally confirmed until the mid 1980s under the Hawke government.^[474] The Timor Gap Zone of Co-operation Treaty was signed in December 1989. In late 1998, the Howard government advised Indonesia of a change in policy, advocating for a referendum in East Timor in which independence was an option. Public anger in Australia towards the Indonesian military and paramilitary violence in the province during the 1999 East Timorese crisis was followed by an Australian-led international peace-keeping force taking control of the territory in the lead up to formal independence. Since the early 2000s the bilateral relationship has been on a stronger footing, despite the 2013 Australia–Indonesia spying scandal. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake prompted a significant humanitarian response from Australia, including a A$1 billion aid package for Indonesia from the Australian federal government supplemented by over A$150 million in aid from state government and private contributions. Australia’s development partnership with Indonesia has continued and the annual budget in 2022-23 was $307.3 million. An A$200 million Australia-Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following his visit to Jakarta in June 2022.^[475] The Australia-Indonesia relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018. Regular high level dialogue is maintained through the Indonesia-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting; Foreign and Defence Ministers' 2+2 Meeting; Ministerial Council on Law and Security; Economic, Trade and Investment Ministers' Meeting; Economic Policy Dialogue and the Ministerial Energy Dialogue. In February 2020 President Joko Widodo addressed the Australian Parliament during a state visit celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations.^[476] Security cooperation has been defined through a series of Australia–Indonesia Security Agreements, most significantly the Lombok Treaty signed in 2006. Australia and Indonesia work closely together to combat people smuggling and human trafficking, including by co-chairing the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) creates the framework to promote closer economic engagement between the two countries. In 2022 Australia's goods and services exports to Indonesia totaled A$14.6 billion and imports totaled A$8.7 billion including A$2.7 billion in Australian tourism earnings. In 2022 Australian investment in Indonesian stocks totaled just over A$3 billion, and Indonesian investment in Australian stocks totaled over A$800 million.^[477] There are long-standing family, cultural, sporting education, and tourism connections between the two nations. At the end of June 2021, 89,480 Indonesian-born people were living in Australia (see Indonesian Australians).^[478] In 2022 almost 17,000 Indonesians were studying in Australia. The two countries are among the top destinations for tourism for each.^[479]
Iran	21 September 1968	On 29 June 1968 Australia announced that it had agreed with Iran to establish diplomatic relations.^[480] An Australian embassy was established in Tehran with the first Australian ambassador presenting credentials on 21 September 1968.^[481] Iran has had an embassy in Canberra since 1971. Governor-General Paul Hasluck attended the Iranian monarchy's 2500th anniversary celebrations in October 1971.^[482] The then Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made a state visit to Australia in September 1974 to promote economic, scientific and political cooperation between the two countries.^[483] This was reciprocated in March 1975 by the visit of Australian Governor-General John Kerr.^[484] Diplomatic relations have been maintained without interruption through the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the replacement of the monarchy with an Islamic republic. Two-way trade has diminished in recent years but the value of Australia's two-way goods and services trade with Iran was $319 million in the 2019-20 financial year. Traditionally, Iran has been one of Australia's leading wheat export destinations, and other primary exports include wool and meat.^[485] Australia, like most Western countries, has expressed concerns about Iran's human-rights record and its nuclear-weapons program.^[486] Although not a signatory to the agreement, Australia supports the objectives of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It continues to implement certain sanctions in respect of Iran, pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) and Australia's autonomous sanctions regime. Migration from Iran to Australia has mainly occurred since the early 1980s and particularly in the 21st century. The 2016 census recorded 58,112 Iran-born people in Australia, with most settled in New South Wales and Victoria.^[487]
Iraq	2 December 1973	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 December 1973^[113] Australia and Iraq have had relations in various forms since 1938, but formal diplomatic relations were established in December 1973, with the accreditation of the Australian Ambassador in Beirut on a non-resident basis. Australia opened an Embassy in Baghdad in 1976 and Iraq established an Embassy in Canberra in 1995. The Australian embassy closed in 1991 just prior to the start of the 1991 Gulf War. The Iraqi embassy closed in 2003 ahead of the US-led invasion. Both countries reopened their embassies in 2004. Iraq has a Consulate-General in Sydney and the Kurdish Regional Government retains a representative office, also in Sydney.^[488] The relationship during the Saddam Hussein era was complex, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s with Australian efforts to promote trading links competing, sometimes diametrically (see AWB oil-for-wheat scandal), with support for diplomatic and military actions against the Iraqi government. Australian participation in the 1991 Gulf War was followed by the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq as part of the United States-led coalition. Bilateral relations have improved significantly following the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Total merchandise trade between Australia and Iraq in 2018 – 2019 was over $201 million. Historically, Australia's primary commercial interest in Iraq has been wheat, which it has exported to Iraq for over 50 years.^[488] Between 2003 and 2014, Australia provided $382 million in development and humanitarian assistance to Iraq to re-establish services to over 1.3 million people, including over half a million refugees and internally displaced people. This was in addition to $987 million in debt relief to support Iraq's transition to a stable and democratic nation after decades of war and dictatorship. Australia has worked in partnership with the Government of Iraq to improve the management of water, agriculture research, rural development, public sector governance, education, landmine clearance and basic services delivery. Australia is contributing to capacity building missions with the Iraqi Army, law enforcement personnel, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service and the NATO Training Mission headquarters in Iraq. There is a sizeable Iraqi community in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Migration Australia data, at 23 October 2017, 67,355 people born in Iraq were living in Australia. The resettlement of Iraqis who have fled their home country remains a priority within Australia's offshore Humanitarian Programme.^[489] In 2009 Nouri al-Maliki became the first Iraqi prime minister to visit Australia. He and then Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd signed a declaration to increase co-operation and to strengthen trade and investment ties.^[490] In the post-Saddam era there have been frequent high level visits of Australian Governors-General and Prime Ministers to Iraq, combined with visits to Australian Defence Force personnel stationed in the country.
Israel	11 May 1949	See Australia–Israel relations Australia and Israel share a close relationship with significant people-to-people links and broad commercial engagement. Australia was the first country to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution, which ultimately led to the creation of Israel as a nation state.^[491] The Australian Government formally recognised Israel on 28 January 1949.^[492] The Australian Legation in Tel Aviv, and the Israeli Legation in Canberra, were both opened in that year.^[493] Diplomatic relations were raised to ambassadorial level in 1960. Australia is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state co‑exist, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders. In December 2018, Australia recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but this was reversed by the Albanese government in October 2022^[494]^[495] The Australian-Jewish community, which numbers about 91,000 (2016 census), is an important element of Australia's relationship with Israel. There are approximately 10,000 Israeli-born people living in Australia and about 10–12,000 Australians living in Israel. Australia and Israel have a growing bilateral economic relationship. In 2019–20, two-way goods and services trade amounted to approximately $1.3 billion. In February 2017, Australia and Israel signed a Technological Innovation Cooperation Agreement. Since 2017, Australia and Israel have expanded cooperation on national security, defence and cyber security. Israeli President Chaim Herzog made the first visit by a serving Israeli President to Australia in November 1986. This was followed in 2005 and 2020 by Presidents Moshe Katsav and Reuven Rivlin. In January 1987, Prime Minister Bob Hawke made the first visit to Israel by a serving Australian Prime Minister. This was followed by subsequent Prime Ministerial visits in 1995, 2000 and 2017. In February 2017, Benjamin Netanyahu became the first incumbent Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia.^[496]
Japan	14 September 1940 (broken from 8 December 1941 to 28 April 1952)	See Australia–Japan relations Australia-Japan relations are generally warm, substantial and driven by mutual interests, and have expanded beyond strong economic and commercial links to other spheres, including culture, tourism, defence and scientific co-operation. Australia has an embassy in Tokyo and consulates-general in Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo. Japan has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and a consular office in Cairns.
Jordan	28 April 1975	Australia has an embassy in Amman, established in 1979 and Jordan has an embassy in Canberra, established in 1976. Australia and Jordan have long standing friendly relations reflected in diverse political, cultural and economic links. His Majesty King Hussein made the first visit by an Arab Head of State to Australia in March 1976.^[497] His Majesty King Abdullah visited in November 2016. Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Jordan in October 2017. There have also been regular exchanges at senior ministerial level. In 2019–20, two‑way goods and services trade was $285 million (A$198 million in exports to Jordan and A$86 million in imports from Jordan).^[498] Since 2017, as part of Australia's response to the Syria crisis, it has provided over A$105 million in support of refugees and their host communities in Jordan.
Kazakhstan	22 June 1992	Australia recognised Kazakhstan's independence on 26 December 1991^[422] upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and established diplomatic relations the following year. The Australian ambassador to Kazakhstan is accredited from Moscow. Australia opened an embassy in Almaty in 1995 but this closed in 1999 due to resource constraints. It has an honorary consulate in Almaty. Kazakhstan is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Singapore. It has a consulate-general in Sydney, opened in 2015, and honorary consulates in Melbourne and Perth. There have been a number of high level visits between the two countries to sign co-operation agreements: Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko visited Australia in 1993; Governor-General Bill Hayden visited Kazakhstan in 1993; President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Australia in 1996. The countries signed an agreement on economic and commercial cooperation, which came into force on 2 June 2004. Kazakhstan is Australia's leading trading partner in Central Asia, however, the level of trade remains modest. Two-way goods and services trade in 2020-21 was worth A$35.2 million. Australian investment in Kazakhstan totalled AUD131 million in 2021.^[499]
Kuwait	1 July 1974^[123]	Diplomatic relations between Australia and Kuwait were established in 1974 with the accreditation of the Australian ambassador in Riyadh on a non-resident basis. Australia opened an embassy in Kuwait City in December 2004. Kuwait opened an embassy in Canberra in January 2002 and a Cultural Office in Canberra in 2008. Australia supported Kuwait's independence and territorial integrity with its contribution to the coalition force which in 1991 liberated Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation. Kuwait's investments in Australia are estimated at over A$13.4 billion (2019). Two-way trade amounted to A$664 million in 2019. Kuwait is a significant market for Australian exports of wheat and live sheep. It is also an important market for Australian education and tourism services. About 1,000 Australians reside in Kuwait, employed mainly in the education, banking, oil and gas and security industries.^[500] In May 2016, the then Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Kuwait.^[501]
January 01, 1970 Latest articles January 07, 2023 List of semiconductor scale examples January 07, 2023 List of senior female officers of the British Armed Forces January 07, 2023 List of senior secondary schools in Ghana January 06, 2023 List of search engines January 09, 2023 List of second-generation National Basketball Association players January 07, 2023 List of second-level administrative divisions of North Korea January 07, 2023 List of secondary characters in American Dragon: Jake Long January 06, 2023 List of secondary schools in Brunei January 12, 2023 List of serving admirals of the Bangladesh Navy January 13, 2023 List of serving admirals of the Pakistan Navy Most Read January 14, 2023 Chieh Yuan January 06, 2023 Chieko Oda January 07, 2023 Chieko Kawabe January 07, 2023 Chifley Tower December 30, 2022 Chik Mohamad Yusuf foreign, relations, australia, influenced, position, leading, trading, nation, significant, donor, humanitarian, australia, foreign, policy, guided, commitment, multilateralism, regionalism, well, build, strong, bilateral, relations, with, allies, concerns, in. Foreign relations of Australia are influenced by its position as a leading trading nation and as a significant donor of humanitarian aid Australia s foreign policy is guided by a commitment to multilateralism and regionalism as well as to build strong bilateral relations with its allies Key concerns include free trade terrorism refugees economic co operation with Asia and stability in the Indo Pacific Australia is active in the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations Given its history of starting and supporting important regional and global initiatives it has been described as a regional middle power par excellence 1 RG Casey House Canberra is the headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade It maintains significant ties with ASEAN and has become steadfastly allied with New Zealand through long standing ties dating back to the 1800s The country also has a longstanding alliance with the United States of America Over recent decades Australia has sought to strengthen its relationship with Asian countries with this becoming the focus of the country s network of diplomatic missions 2 3 4 5 6 7 In 2021 Australia signed a significant security partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States of America AUKUS aimed at upholding security in the Indo Pacific region Contents 1 History 2 International agencies treaties and agreements 2 1 Membership of international organizations and groupings 2 2 Security treaties 2 3 Special strategic partnership 2 4 Comprehensive strategic partnerships 3 Trade 3 1 Armaments 4 Diplomatic relations 4 1 List 5 Bilateral relations 5 1 Africa 5 2 Americas 5 3 Asia 5 4 Europe 5 5 Oceania 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksHistory editMain article Diplomatic history of Australia Before the Second World War Australia saw its economic and military security assured by being a loyal dominion of the British Empire and generally sought to align its diplomatic policies with those of the British Government Although Australia like other British Dominions was a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles and a member of the League of Nations the British Government handled most of Australia s diplomatic exchanges outside the Empire 8 The approach of the Second World War saw the first steps by Australia in establishing its own diplomatic network particularly with economically and politically important countries of the Pacific Rim The first accredited diplomat sent to a foreign country was Richard Casey appointed as the first Minister to the United States in January 1940 9 This was followed shortly after by the arrival of the first Australian high commissioner to Canada 10 and by appointments of Ministers to Japan in 1940 and China in 1941 With the entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 and the consequent heightened vulnerability of Australia to attack a critical decision was made by the Curtin Government to more closely seek the military protection of the United States Since that time United States has been the most important security ally The close security relationship with the United States was formalized in 1951 by the Australia New Zealand United States Security ANZUS Treaty which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements During and after the Second World War and in parallel with the evolution of the British Empire to the Commonwealth of Nations Australia progressively took responsibility for fully managing its foreign relations with other states Australia concluded an agreement in 1944 with New Zealand dealing with the security welfare and advancement of the people of the dependent territories of the Pacific the ANZAC pact 11 Australia was one of the founders of the United Nations 1945 and the South Pacific Commission 1947 and in 1950 it proposed the Colombo Plan to assist developing countries in Asia After the war Australia played a role in the Far Eastern Commission in Japan and supported Indonesian independence during that country s revolt against the Dutch 1945 49 12 As the Cold War deepened Australia aligned itself fully with the Western Powers In addition to contributing to UN forces in the Korean War it was the first country to announce it would do so after the United States Australia sent troops to assist in putting down the communist revolt in Malaya in 1948 60 and later to combat the Indonesian supported invasion of Sarawak in 1963 65 13 Australia sent troops to repel communism and assist South Vietnamese and American forces in the Vietnam War in a move that stirred up antiwar activism at home 14 Australia has been active in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and in the Australia New Zealand United Kingdom agreement and the Five Power Defence Arrangement successive arrangements with Britain and New Zealand to ensure the security of Singapore and Malaysia After the end of the Cold War Australia remained an important contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and to other multilateral security missions often in alliance with the United States Notably it joined coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War in 1991 the War in Afghanistan 2001 2021 the Iraq War of 2003 2011 and the War in Iraq 2013 2017 In 1999 Australian peace keeping forces intervened in East Timor following its referendum to secede from Indonesia In 2006 Australia sent a contingent of Australian troops to the state to assist in the 2006 East Timor crisis 15 Australia has also most recently led security assistance peacekeeping and policing missions elsewhere in its neighbourhood including in the Solomon Islands Papua New Guinea and Tonga In the late 20th Century and early 21st Century a new element in Australia s foreign relations was the growing relationship with the People s Republic of China After the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1972 Sino Australian relations grew rapidly to a point where China became Australia s main trading partner and extensive official and people to people links were well established In the first 15 years of the 21st Century Australia maintained privileged relations with both the United States and China Since 2017 Sino Australian relations have deteriorated dramatically as a result of Australian criticism of policies and actions taken under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping This has strongly influenced recent Australian bilateral and multi lateral engagements such as the Pacific Step Up with Pacific Island states the development of comprehensive strategic partnerships with a number of regional states and the pursuit of alliances directed at countering Chinese predominance in the Indo Pacific region Since 2017 existing security arrangements have been augmented by a revived Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involving India Japan and United States the 2021 AUKUS security partnership with the United States and United Kingdom and the 2022 Australia Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement which provides for closer Australian Japanese cooperation on defence and humanitarian operations International agencies treaties and agreements editMembership of international organizations and groupings edit See also Australia and the United Nations One of the drafters of the UN Charter Australia has given firm support to the United Nations system Australia held the first Presidency of the Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military observers under UN auspices a year later to Indonesia It has been a member of the Security Council a further four times in 1956 57 1973 74 1986 87 and 2013 14 16 It has been regularly elected a member of the Economic and Social Council most recently for 2020 22 a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018 20 and its predecessor the UN Commission on Human Rights in the 1990s Australia takes a prominent part in many other UN activities including peacekeeping disarmament negotiations and narcotics control In September 1999 acting under a UN Security Council mandate Australia led an international coalition to restore order in East Timor upon Indonesia s withdrawal from that territory Australia has also been closely engaged in international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance through the Specialized agencies Funds and Programmes and Regional Commissions of the United Nations and major International Financial Institutions in particular the World Bank the International Monetary Fund the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Australia is a member of the G20 the Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development OECD and the APEC forum It is active in meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government the Pacific Islands Forum and other Pacific Islands regional organizations and the Indian Ocean Rim Association It has been a leader in the Cairns Group countries pressing for agricultural trade reform in the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GATT negotiations Australia is also a member of MIKTA an informal and diverse middle power partnership between Mexico Indonesia South Korea Turkey and Australia led by its foreign ministers which seeks to promote an effective rules based global order Australia has devoted particular attention in the early 21st century to promoting regional architecture centred around the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN to support dialogue on political security and economic challenges in the Indo Pacific region Australia is an active participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum ARF and the ASEAN sponsored East Asia Summit Australia s place at the 2005 inaugural summit was only secured after it agreed to reverse its policy and accede to ASEAN s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia Australia had been reluctant to sign the treaty out of concerns regarding how it would affect Australia s obligation under other treaty arrangements including ANZUS Security treaties edit Instrument Countries Five Power Defence Arrangements nbsp United Kingdom nbsp Australia nbsp New Zealand nbsp Singapore nbsp Malaysia ANZUS nbsp Australia nbsp New Zealand partially suspended nbsp United States ANZUK nbsp Australia nbsp New Zealand nbsp United Kingdom Special strategic partnership edit Japan as of 2014 17 Under this partnership Australia and Japan have established a strong and broad ranging security relationship under the renewed 2022 Australia Japan Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation 18 Comprehensive strategic partnerships edit Comprehensive strategic partnerships are broad high level relationships which have increasingly been formalized in the Asia Pacific region under this description since the early 21st century They are arrangements which in general convey a sense of mutual value strategic alignment and positive intent to further strengthen ties 19 They establish the framework for an intensified level of engagement across governments and indicate particularly close bilateral relations Australia has a formal comprehensive strategic partnership with the following countries and multi national organizations Singapore as of 2016 20 Indonesia as of 2018 21 India as of 2020 22 Papua New Guinea as of 2020 23 Malaysia as of 2021 24 South Korea as of 2021 25 ASEAN as of 2021 26 Vietnam as of 2024 27 In 2014 the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership and this helped facilitate an extensive program of engagement This partnership has been dormant since relations deteriorated particularly since 2020 Trade editOverall Australia s largest trading partners are the United States South Korea Japan China and the United Kingdom Australia currently has bilateral Free Trade Agreements with New Zealand the United States Thailand and Singapore as of 2007 and the United Kingdom as of 2021 As well as this Australia is in the process undertaking studies on Free Trade Agreements with ASEAN China Chile India Indonesia and Malaysia Australia Chile Free Trade Agreement Australia China Free Trade Agreement Australia Korea Free Trade Agreement Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement Australia United States Free Trade Agreement Australia United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Australia Fiji Free Trade Agreement Armaments edit To bolster its foreign policy Australia maintains a very well equipped military According to SIPRI Australia is the fourth largest importer of major weapons in the world 28 The US supplied 60 per cent of Australia s imports and Spain 29 per cent 29 All armed services have received new major arms in 2014 18 but mainly aircraft and ships The F 35 combat aircraft and antisubmarine warfare aircraft from the USA made up 53 per cent of Australian arms imports in 2014 18 while ships from Spain accounted for 29 per cent Large deliveries for additional aircraft and ships are outstanding 29 Australia is modernising its armed forces but also acquiring weapons that significantly increase its long range capabilities Among the weapons imported in 2010 14 were 5 tanker aircraft and the first of 2 amphibious assault ships from Spain along with 2 large transport aircraft and 4 airborne early warning AEW aircraft from the USA Australia also received 26 combat aircraft from the US with 82 more on order see box 3 as well as 8 anti submarine warfare aircraft from the US and 3 Hobart destroyers from Spain Australia s imports of major weapons increased 37 percent between 2010 and 2014 and 2014 18 making it the fourth largest importer in the world according to SIPRI 29 In 2021 after Australia ended its 20 year military mission in Afghanistan the defence officials held formal talks on strengthening military ties with the United Arab Emirates However the human rights groups said that it was very concerning to witness as the Emirates was accused of carrying out unlawful attacks in war torn nations like Libya and Yemen 30 In December 2021 Australia signed a defence procurement deal with South Korea worth 1billion AUD US 720 million for modern artillery supply trucks and radars supplied by South Korean defense company Hanwha The South Korean President Moon Jae in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met for the signing of the agreement and additionally announced they were formally upgrading the Australian South Korean relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership 31 Diplomatic relations editAs of 2011 Australia had established formal diplomatic relations with all members of the United Nations as well as the Holy See Kosovo Cook Islands and in 2014 Niue In many cases diplomatic relations are maintained on a non resident basis with the Australian ambassador or high commissioner based in another country Since 2012 diplomatic relations have been effectively suspended with the Syrian Arab Republic with no diplomatic accreditation by either country maintained but consular relations continue 32 In the case of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in 2021 diplomatic relations are in an ambiguous status with Australia temporarily closing its embassy in Kabul and not recognizing the Islamic Emirate government but maintaining the credentials of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra 33 A number of Canadian missions provide consular assistance to Australians in countries in Africa where Australia does not maintain an office and Australia reciprocates this arrangement for Canada in some other countries through the Canada Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement 34 Due to the One China Policy of the People s Republic of China the Australian Office in Taiwan formerly the Australian Commerce and Industry Office unofficially represents Australia s interest in Taiwan serving a function similar to other Australian Consulates List edit List of countries which Australia maintains diplomatic relations with nbsp Country Date 1 nbsp United Kingdom March 1936 35 2 nbsp Canada 2 November 1939 36 3 nbsp United States 8 January 1940 37 4 nbsp Japan 17 August 1940 38 5 nbsp India 7 March 1941 39 6 nbsp Netherlands 16 April 1942 40 7 nbsp Russia 10 October 1942 41 8 nbsp New Zealand 27 February 1943 42 9 nbsp France 13 December 1944 43 10 nbsp Chile 27 December 1945 44 11 nbsp Brazil 1945 45 12 nbsp Philippines 4 July 1946 46 13 nbsp South Africa August 1946 47 14 nbsp Ireland 15 October 1946 48 15 nbsp Sri Lanka 29 April 1947 49 16 nbsp Norway 23 June 1947 50 17 nbsp Pakistan 15 August 1947 51 18 nbsp Denmark 12 September 1947 52 53 19 nbsp Belgium 10 October 1947 54 20 nbsp Uruguay 15 December 1948 55 21 nbsp Israel 29 January 1949 56 22 nbsp Indonesia 5 March 1949 57 23 nbsp Finland 31 May 1949 58 24 nbsp Italy 24 November 1949 59 25 nbsp Egypt 9 March 1950 60 26 nbsp Cambodia 15 January 1952 61 27 nbsp Laos 16 January 1952 62 28 nbsp Germany 28 January 1952 63 29 nbsp Austria October 1952 64 30 nbsp Thailand 19 December 1952 65 31 nbsp Greece 30 March 1953 66 32 nbsp Myanmar 1 August 1953 67 33 nbsp Malaysia 31 August 1957 68 34 nbsp Ghana 21 February 1958 69 35 nbsp Argentina 10 December 1959 70 36 nbsp Nepal 15 February 1960 71 37 nbsp Portugal 4 August 1960 72 38 nbsp Nigeria 10 September 1960 73 39 nbsp Switzerland 3 June 1961 74 40 nbsp South Korea October 1961 75 41 nbsp Tanzania 12 May 1962 76 42 nbsp Peru 1 March 1963 77 43 nbsp Sweden 1963 78 44 nbsp Malta 21 September 1964 79 45 nbsp Singapore 18 August 1965 80 46 nbsp Kenya 23 August 1965 81 47 nbsp Uganda 23 August 1965 81 48 nbsp Ethiopia 13 December 1965 82 49 nbsp Mexico 14 March 1966 83 50 nbsp Serbia 25 April 1966 84 51 nbsp Lebanon 5 February 1967 85 52 nbsp Spain 26 October 1967 86 53 nbsp Romania 18 March 1968 87 54 nbsp Turkey April 1968 88 55 nbsp Iran 21 September 1968 89 56 nbsp Afghanistan 30 March 1969 90 57 nbsp Luxembourg 18 September 1970 91 58 nbsp Mauritius 25 September 1970 92 59 nbsp Fiji 10 October 1970 93 60 nbsp Tonga 3 December 1970 94 61 nbsp Samoa 31 March 1971 95 62 nbsp Bangladesh 31 January 1972 96 63 nbsp Poland 20 February 1972 97 64 nbsp Bulgaria 5 April 1972 98 65 nbsp Hungary 6 April 1972 99 66 nbsp Bahrain 24 April 1972 100 67 nbsp Zambia 18 May 1972 101 68 nbsp Czech Republic 18 June 1972 102 69 nbsp Mongolia 15 September 1972 103 70 nbsp Nauru 21 November 1972 104 71 nbsp China 21 December 1972 105 72 nbsp Vietnam 26 February 1973 106 nbsp Holy See 24 March 1973 107 73 nbsp Venezuela 31 March 1973 108 74 nbsp Cyprus 6 April 1973 109 75 nbsp Guyana 14 May 1973 110 76 nbsp Botswana 9 July 1973 111 77 nbsp Eswatini 9 July 1973 112 78 nbsp Lesotho 9 July 1973 112 79 nbsp Iraq 2 December 1973 113 80 nbsp Oman 18 December 1973 114 81 nbsp Jamaica 6 January 1974 115 82 nbsp Bahamas 7 January 1974 116 83 nbsp Barbados 7 January 1974 117 84 nbsp Guatemala 7 January 1974 118 85 nbsp Trinidad and Tobago 7 January 1974 119 86 nbsp Maldives 25 January 1974 120 87 nbsp Sudan 8 February 1974 121 88 nbsp Panama 20 February 1974 122 89 nbsp Kuwait 1 July 1974 123 90 nbsp Algeria 8 July 1974 124 91 nbsp Costa Rica July 1974 125 92 nbsp Madagascar 22 August 1974 126 93 nbsp Ivory Coast 17 September 1974 127 94 nbsp Senegal 26 September 1974 128 95 nbsp Paraguay 2 December 1974 129 96 nbsp Saudi Arabia 15 December 1974 130 97 nbsp North Korea 31 December 1974 131 98 nbsp Colombia 9 January 1975 132 99 nbsp Ecuador 3 February 1975 133 100 nbsp Bolivia 10 April 1975 134 101 nbsp Jordan 29 April 1975 135 102 nbsp Syria 12 May 1975 135 103 nbsp United Arab Emirates 30 August 1975 136 104 nbsp Papua New Guinea 16 September 1975 137 105 nbsp Seychelles 29 June 1976 138 106 nbsp Morocco 13 July 1976 139 107 nbsp Tunisia 17 February 1977 140 108 nbsp Tuvalu 30 November 1977 141 109 nbsp Libya 4 January 1978 142 110 nbsp Solomon Islands 7 July 1978 143 111 nbsp Kiribati 12 July 1979 144 112 nbsp Grenada 18 December 1979 145 113 nbsp Qatar 1 May 1980 142 114 nbsp Zimbabwe 15 May 1980 146 115 nbsp Vanuatu 30 July 1980 147 116 nbsp Yemen 20 December 1980 142 117 nbsp Sierra Leone 9 October 1981 148 118 nbsp Belize 17 January 1982 149 119 nbsp Gambia 15 February 1982 150 120 nbsp Mozambique 11 June 1982 151 121 nbsp Dominica 1982 152 122 nbsp Saint Lucia 1982 153 123 nbsp Malawi 1 July 1983 154 124 nbsp Comoros 27 July 1983 155 125 nbsp El Salvador 5 December 1983 156 157 126 nbsp Nicaragua 5 December 1983 157 127 nbsp Brunei 1 January 1984 158 128 nbsp Iceland 12 February 1984 159 129 nbsp Mali 15 March 1984 160 130 nbsp Honduras 10 July 1984 161 131 nbsp Albania 16 September 1984 162 132 nbsp Gabon 20 October 1984 163 133 nbsp Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 31 January 1986 164 134 nbsp Saint Kitts and Nevis 1986 165 135 nbsp Marshall Islands 8 July 1987 166 136 nbsp Angola 30 March 1988 167 137 nbsp Federated States of Micronesia 6 July 1988 168 138 nbsp Cuba 31 January 1989 169 139 nbsp Latvia 27 August 1991 170 140 nbsp Lithuania 6 November 1991 171 141 nbsp Estonia 21 November 1991 172 142 nbsp Kyrgyzstan 26 December 1991 173 143 nbsp Tajikistan 26 December 1991 174 144 nbsp Uzbekistan 26 December 1991 175 145 nbsp Belarus 9 January 1992 176 146 nbsp Ukraine 10 January 1992 177 147 nbsp Armenia 15 January 1992 178 148 nbsp Slovenia 5 February 1992 179 149 nbsp Croatia 13 February 1992 180 150 nbsp Moldova 1 April 1992 181 151 nbsp Turkmenistan 14 May 1992 182 152 nbsp Azerbaijan 19 June 1992 183 153 nbsp Kazakhstan 22 June 1992 184 154 nbsp Georgia 16 July 1992 185 155 nbsp Slovakia 1 January 1993 186 156 nbsp Bosnia and Herzegovina 7 January 1993 187 157 nbsp Eritrea 24 November 1993 188 158 nbsp Namibia 8 June 1994 189 159 nbsp Palau 1 October 1994 190 nbsp Cook Islands 1994 191 160 nbsp Andorra 2 March 1995 192 161 nbsp San Marino 13 September 1995 193 162 nbsp North Macedonia 20 October 1995 194 163 nbsp Suriname 19 January 1996 195 164 nbsp Dominican Republic 22 April 1997 196 165 nbsp Liechtenstein 1997 197 166 nbsp Haiti 2000 198 167 nbsp Mauritania 13 December 2001 199 168 nbsp Cameroon 2 March 2002 200 169 nbsp East Timor 20 May 2002 201 170 nbsp Bhutan 14 September 2002 195 171 nbsp Montenegro 1 September 2006 202 172 nbsp Monaco 3 May 2007 203 173 nbsp Rwanda 9 May 2007 204 174 nbsp Burkina Faso 13 November 2008 195 nbsp Kosovo 21 May 2008 205 175 nbsp Djibouti 23 April 2009 204 176 nbsp Republic of the Congo 7 May 2009 195 177 nbsp Niger 7 May 2009 195 178 nbsp Sao Tome and Principe 8 July 2009 195 179 nbsp Togo 22 July 2009 195 180 nbsp Equatorial Guinea 23 July 2009 195 181 nbsp Cape Verde 22 September 2009 206 182 nbsp Liberia 26 September 2009 195 183 nbsp Central African Republic 18 January 2010 195 184 nbsp Somalia 20 April 2010 207 185 nbsp Benin 22 September 2010 208 186 nbsp Guinea 9 September 2011 209 187 nbsp South Sudan 24 September 2011 210 188 nbsp Democratic Republic of the Congo 2011 211 nbsp Niue 27 February 2014 212 189 nbsp Antigua and Barbuda Unknown 190 nbsp Burundi Unknown 191 nbsp Chad Unknown 192 nbsp Guinea Bissau UnknownBilateral relations editAfrica edit Country Formal relations began Notes nbsp Algeria 8 July 1974 124 Australia and Algeria enjoy friendly relations and cooperate in international fora on areas of mutual interest Algeria has an embassy in Canberra Australia is accredited to Algeria from its embassy in Paris France An Australian resident embassy was established in Algiers in 1975 and was closed in 1991 for budgetary reasons For a history of Australian representation to Algeria see List of ambassadors of Australia to Algeria Bilateral goods and services trade in 2020 was valued at approximately A 165 million mostly Australian imports of crude petroleum 213 nbsp Angola 30 May 1988 214 Australia and Angola established diplomatic relations in May 1988 with the accreditation by Australia of an ambassador resident in Lusaka Zambia 215 Accreditation soon switched to the High Commissioner in Pretoria South Africa Australia also has an honorary consulate in Luanda Angola s ambassador is accredited from its embassy in Singapore The trade and investment relationship between the two countries is limited with two way merchandise trade being just over A 5 6m in 2019 20 216 nbsp Benin 11 September 2010 217 Australia s ambassador is accredited from Abuja Nigeria Benin s ambassador is accredited from Tokyo Japan nbsp Botswana 9 July 1973 218 Australia and Botswana have enjoyed good relations since Botswana s independence as members of the Commonwealth of Nations The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria Australia also has an honorary consulate in Gaborone Botswana has a high commission in Canberra and has honorary consulates in Brisbane Melbourne Perth and the New South Wales mid north coast town of Kendall 219 Governor General Quentin Bryce made the first official visit of an Australian Governor General to Botswana in March 2009 220 President Ian Khama made the first official visit of a Botswanan President to Australia in March 2010 nbsp Burkina Faso 13 November 2008 221 Australia and Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations in 2008 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 Australia s ambassador is accredited from Accra Ghana Burkina Faso s ambassador is accredited from Tokyo Japan nbsp Burundi Australia s ambassador to Burundi is accredited from Nairobi Kenya 223 224 Burundi has an honorary consulate in Perth nbsp Cape Verde 22 September 2009 225 Australia and Cape Verde established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 Australia is accredited to Cape Verde from its embassy in Lisbon Portugal Cape Verde has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia nbsp Cameroon 2 March 2002 226 Australia and Cameroon enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in March 2002 with the non resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Abuja Nigeria Australia also maintains an honorary consulate in Yaounde The Cameroonian high commissioner is accredited from Tokyo Japan Cameroon also maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney The two countries have modest trade links In 2019 2020 total merchandise trade was A 1 3 million 227 nbsp Central African Republic 18 January 2010 228 Australia and the Central African Republic established diplomatic relations in 2010 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 Australia is accredited to the Central African Republic from its embassy in Addis Ababa Ethiopia The Central African Republic has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia nbsp Chad 2007 Diplomatic relations were formalized in 2007 with the accreditation of the first Australian ambassador resident in Abuja Nigeria Australia is currently accredited to Chad from its embassy in Paris France Chad initially accredited its ambassador resident in Beijing China but does not currently have an accreditation to Australia nbsp Comoros 27 July 1983 229 Australia and Comoros established diplomatic relations in July 1983 with the presentation of credentials of Australia s first ambassador The two countries cooperate as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and through small development cooperation projects Australia s ambassador to Comoros is accredited from Port Louis Mauritius 230 Comoros has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia nbsp Congo 7 May 2009 231 Australia and Congo established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 The Australian ambassador is accredited from Harare Zimbabwe Congo has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia nbsp Democratic Republic of the Congo 2011 Australia and the DRC established diplomatic relations in 2011 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard The Australian ambassador is accredited from Harare Zimbabwe The DRC has not yet established diplomatic representation to Australia Immigration from the DRC to Australia has occurred mainly since the early 2000s At the end of June 2019 7 210 people born in the DRC were living in Australia 232 Trade between the two countries is small In 2019 2020 total merchandise trade was only A 3 4 million 233 nbsp Djibouti Australia is accredited to Djibouti from its embassy in Addis Ababa Ethiopia Djibouti is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan nbsp Egypt 8 April 1950 severed diplomatic relations from 6 November 1956 to 19 October 1959 See Australia Egypt relations Egypt was the first Arab country with which Australia established diplomatic relations with the opening of an Australian legation in Cairo in 1950 Following President Gamal Abdel Nasser s nationalization of the Suez Canal in July 1956 Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies lead a five nation delegation to Cairo in August 1956 to negotiate with Nasser about the return of the Canal to international control The Suez Canal was the preeminent economic trade route for Australia at that time 234 Diplomatic relations were broken by Egypt in November 1956 in protest over subsequent Australian support for the Anglo French invasion during the Suez Crisis 235 Relations were restored in 1959 and raised to embassy level in 1961 For a detailed history of Australian representation in Egypt see List of ambassadors of Australia to Egypt Egypt has an embassy in Canberra and two consulates general in Melbourne and Sydney 236 There is a significant community in Australia of Egyptian born immigrants and their descendants resulting in significant people to people ties between the two countries Immigration from Egypt became significant after the Second World War including by a large number of Coptic Christians The 2016 Australian census recorded almost 40 000 Egyptian born residents 237 See also Egyptian Australians Australia supported the 1979 Egypt Israel peace treaty and has provided deployments of military personnel to the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai since 1982 Australia engages with Egypt on a number of shared regional and international priorities including counter terrorism and countering violent extremism 238 in 2016 17 two way merchandise trade totalled A 582 million A 533 million in exports from Australia and A 49 million in imports from Egypt Australia s principal exports to Egypt are agricultural products including vegetables wool and wheat Australian companies are prominent investors in Egypt s mining sector 238 Then Governor General Peter Cosgrove visited Egypt in October 2017 to attend commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein and make an official visit that included a meeting with President Abdel Fattah el Sisi Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II visited Australia in September 2017 238 nbsp Equatorial Guinea 23 July 2009 239 Australia and Equatorial Guinea established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 Australia s ambassador is accredited from Madrid Spain Equatorial Guinea s ambassador is accredited from Beijing China nbsp Eritrea 24 November 1993 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 November 1993 when first Eritrea s Ambassador to Australia Mr Fessehaie Abraham presented his credentials 188 Australia is accredited to Eritrea from its embassy in Cairo Egypt Eritrea is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Beijing China and has a consulate general in Melbourne A small but influential Eritrean refugee community in Australia since the 1970s promoted a sympathetic view of Eritrean independence and in 1989 Australia hosted a quasi official visit of Eritrean rebel leader Issaias Afewerki The Australian NGO Fred Hollows Foundation has been active in Eritrea since the 1980s in supporting the elimination of trachoma and established Africa s only factory making intra ocular lenses required for cataract operations 240 Australia established diplomatic relations with Eritrea following its internationally recognised independence in 1993 and implemented a significant aid program Eritrea opened an embassy in Canberra that year which remained open until 2013 Political repression in Eritrea human rights violations and war with neighbouring Ethiopia led to a chill in political relations and Australia has applied Eritrea related UN sanctions The 2016 Australian census recorded 4 303 Eritrean born residents mostly living in Melbourne 241 nbsp Eswatini 9 July 1973 218 Australia and Eswatini have enjoyed good relations since Eswatini s independence as members of the Commonwealth of Nations The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria South Africa Eswatini is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia nbsp Ethiopia 13 December 1965 242 Ethiopia and Australia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1965 with an Australian ambassador accredited on a non resident basis from Nairobi Kenya In 1984 an Australian embassy was opened in Addis Ababa It was closed in 1987 due to budget cuts and accreditation returned to the High Commission in Nairobi In September 2010 a resident Ambassador was reappointed and since then Australia has continued to maintain an embassy in Addis Ababa with concurrent accreditation to the African Union For a detailed history of Australian representation in Ethiopia see List of ambassadors of Australia to Ethiopia Ethiopia opened an embassy in Canberra in December 2013 Prior to this Ethiopia s ambassador was accredited from Tokyo 243 Emperor Haile Selassie I paid a 5 day state visit to Australia in May 1968 This was commemorated ahead of its 50th anniversary in a 2017 visit by the President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie the Emperor s grandson 244 245 Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Ethiopia in March 2009 246 A Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation and a Bilateral Cooperation Agreement were signed by the two countries in May 2012 and January 2013 respectively Australia has a small but growing Ethiopian born community primarily in Melbourne Victoria The 2016 Australian census recorded 11 792 Ethiopia born people of diverse ethnic and linguistic heritage 247 See also Ethiopian Australians Merchandise trade between Australia and Ethiopia is small valued at A 31 million in 2019 2020 and mainly comprising Australian imports of coffee 248 nbsp Gabon 20 October 1984 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 October 1984 when Mr A R Taylor presented his letter of credence as non resident Ambassador of Australia to Gabon 163 At the time Gabon joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 2022 Australia s accredited representative was redesignated high commissioner Gabon has not yet accredited a representative to Australia Two way merchandise trade between the two countries was almost A 120 million in 2019 2020 A significant part of that trade is Australian imports of crude petroleum and Gabonese imports of aircraft 249 President Ali Bongo Ondimba made a state visit to Australia in 2012 250 His father President Omar Bongo had earlier been officially welcomed to Australia during a largely private visit in 1978 251 nbsp Gambia February 15 1982 252 Australia and The Gambia have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations Diplomatic relations were established upon the presentation of credentials in February 1982 of Australia s first high commissioner then resident in Accra Ghana Australia is currently accredited to The Gambia from its high commission in Abuja Nigeria The Gambia is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Riyadh Saudi Arabia nbsp Ghana 6 December 1957 Australia has a high commission in Accra For a detailed history of Australian representation in Ghana see List of high commissioners of Australia to Ghana Ghana has a high commission in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney 253 254 Australia s trade relations are modest valued at A 113 million in 2007 most of that exports to Ghana Australian mining investment in Ghana has grown in recent years primarily in the gold mining sector Australia also provides foreign aid to Ghana to alleviate poverty improve the environment and promote human rights 255 nbsp Guinea Australia and Guinea share close interests in the mining sector They are the two largest bauxite producers in the world see List of countries by bauxite production and were founding signatories in the 1970s of the now defunct International Bauxite Agreement Australian companies are involved in developing the Guinean mining sector Australia is accredited to Guinea from its high commission in Accra Ghana Guinea is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan nbsp Guinea Bissau Australia granted de jure recognition to Guinea Bissau on August 11 1974 having extended de facto recognition in June 1974 in support of its independence campaign 256 Australia and Guinea Bissau established diplomatic relations in March 2011 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 257 Australia s ambassador is accredited from Lisbon Portugal Guinea Bissau has not yet established representation to Australia nbsp Ivory Coast 17 September 1974 258 Australia and Cote d Ivoire established diplomatic relations with the accreditation in September 1974 of an Australian ambassador resident in Accra Ghana Cote d Ivoire opened an embassy in Canberra in 2016 but this was closed in 2021 259 Two way merchandise trade between the countries was A 123 million in 2019 2020 260 nbsp Kenya 23 August 1965 See Australia Kenya relations Australia s relations with Kenya are based on Kenya s key role and position in East Africa and its importance in multilateral bodies such as the United Nations the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization Australia has a high commission in Nairobi opened in September 1965 261 For a detailed history of Australian representation in Kenya see List of high commissioners of Australia to Kenya Kenya has a high commission in Canberra opened in 1983 262 Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Kenya in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations 263 There is a small but growing Kenya born community in Australia The latest Australian Census in 2016 recorded 17 652 Kenya born people in Australia 264 Trade has been growing between the two countries with two way merchandise trade reaching 115 million in 2018 19 Wheat and minerals are Australia s main exports to Kenya while coffee and vegetables make up the bulk of imports 265 Australia has provided development assistance to Kenya since the late 20th Century nbsp Lesotho 9 July 1973 218 Australia and Lesotho have enjoyed good relations since Lesotho s independence as members of the Commonwealth of Nations The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in July 1973 with the non resident accreditation of an Australian High Commissioner based in Pretoria South Africa Lesotho is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Kuala Lumpur It also has an honorary consulate general in Newcastle 266 nbsp Liberia 26 September 2008 267 268 Australia and Liberia established diplomatic relations in 2008 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 with Australia s high commissioner in Accra Ghana becoming Australia s first Ambassador to Liberia in February 2009 269 270 Liberia has not yet established representation to Australia nbsp Libya 2 January 1978 broke off 19 May 1987 Restored in June 2002 See Australia Libya relations Australia and Libya announced the establishment of diplomatic relations on 4 January 1978 271 A Libyan People s Bureau was opened in Canberra and the Australian ambassador to Italy was accredited on a non resident basis Concerns about Libyan destabilising activities in the Pacific region part of a broader sponsorship by Muammar Gaddafi of such activities around the world led to the expulsion of the Bureau in Canberra in 1987 272 273 As part of the thawing of relations between Libya and Western nations following Gaddafi s post 9 11 policy u turns diplomatic relations were restored in 2002 the Libyan People s Bureau reopened in Canberra and the Australian ambassador in Rome resumed non resident accreditation This has remained the case though with the Bureau s name reverting to embassy following the overthrow of Gaddafi Australia was a major non military backer of the revolutionaries during the Libyan Civil War sending more humanitarian aid to Libya than any other single country after the United States 274 275 It was relatively early to recognise the NTC doing so on 9 June 2011 months before the capture of Tripoli 276 277 In December 2011 when then Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd travelled to Libya to meet with Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El Keib Rudd ceremonially hoisted the flag of Australia at his country s consulate general in Tripoli and pledged Canberra s support for efforts to remove unexploded landmines in Libya as well as advice on Libya s planned transition to democratic governance 278 There is a small Libyan community in Australia mainly in Victoria The 2016 Australian census recorded 2 535 Libyan born people 279 The Libyan civil war that has followed Gaddafi s overthrow and the lack of a stable political settlement has constrained the development of trade and investment links between the countries In 2019 20 total merchandise trade was valued at A 738 million almost all being imports by Australia of Libyan crude petroleum 280 nbsp Madagascar 22 August 1974 281 Australia and Madagascar have enjoyed friendly relations since Madagascar s independence in 1960 President Philibert Tsiranana was the first African head of state to make an official visit to Australia in November 1965 282 Australia and Madagascar established diplomatic relations in 1974 with the accreditation of an Australian ambassador on a non resident basis Australia is currently accredited to Madagascar from the high commission in Port Louis Mauritius and maintains an honorary consulate in Antananarivo Madagascar is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Port Louis Mauritius and maintains an honorary consulate general in Sydney Two way merchandise trade in 2019 2020 was valued at a modest A 40 million 283 nbsp Malawi 1 July 1983 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 July 1983 when Mr I L James the first High Commissioner of Australia to Malawi presented his letters of credentials 154 Australia and Malawi have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations Australia s high commissioner is accredited from Harare Zimbabwe 284 Australia also has an honorary consulate in Lilongwe Malawi s high commissioner is accredited from Tokyo Malawi also has an honorary consulate in Melbourne Australian companies have mining interests in Malawi including the Kayelekera uranium project 285 nbsp Mali 15 March 1984 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 March 1984 when first non resident Ambassador of Mali to Australia Mr Boubacar Toure presented his credentials 160 Australia is accredited to Mali from its high commission in Accra Ghana Mali is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan nbsp Mauritania 13 December 2001 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 December 2001 199 Australia s ambassador is accredited from Paris France Mauritania s ambassador is accredited from Tokyo Japan Australian companies are present in Mauritania s mining sector and two way trade between the two countries is mainly mining related In 2019 2020 Australia imported about A 100m in iron ore and exported about A 8 million mainly in specialized civil engineering equipment 286 nbsp Mauritius 25 September 1970 92 Australia and Mauritius have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations since Mauritius s independence The two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1970 There are strong economic education and people to people links 287 Australia has a high commission in Port Louis For a detailed history of Australian representation in Mauritius see List of high commissioners of Australia to Mauritius Mauritius has a high commission in Canberra and four Honorary Consuls based in Brisbane Sydney Melbourne and Perth Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Mauritius in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations 288 nbsp Morocco 13 July 1976 139 See Australia Morocco relations Australia has had an embassy in Rabat which opened in 2017 For a detailed history of Australian representation in Morocco see List of ambassadors of Australia to Morocco Morocco has an embassy in Canberra which opened in 2005 Two way trade between Australia and Morocco was valued at over A 144 million in 2021 with the main imports from Morocco being chemicals and manufactured clothing and the main Australian exports being meat fruit and vegetables Australian Parliamentary Delegations have visited Morocco in 1993 2011 and 2013 Australia provided five contingents of signals staff to the UN peace keeping mission in the Western Sahara MINURSO between September 1991 and May 1994 289 Australia follows the UN position on Western Sahara as territory yet to be formally decolonized and has neither recognised Moroccan sovereignty nor the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic nbsp Mozambique 7 June 1982 290 Diplomatic relations were established on 7 June 1982 when the first Ambassador of Australia to Mozambique with residence in Harare presented his credentials to President Samora Machel Since Mozambique was admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations the two countries have exchanged High Commissioners Australia is currently accredited from its High Commission in Pretoria South Africa In addition Australia has an honorary consulate in Maputo Mozambique is accredited from its Embassy in Tokyo Japan Mozambique also has an honorary consulate in Melbourne Bilateral merchandise trade reached A 484 million in 2019 20 comprising mostly Australian aluminium exports 291 Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Mozambique in April 2009 to promote bilateral relations This was reciprocated by the state visit of President Armando Guebuza in March 2013 292 nbsp Namibia 1990 Australia was an active supporter for the peaceful decolonization of Namibia becoming a member of the United Nations Council on Namibia in 1974 and contributing military engineers to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group in 1989 1990 see Australian contribution to UNTAG Australia s high commissioner to Namibia is accredited from Pretoria and has an honorary consulate in Windhoek Namibia has an honorary consulate general in Sydney Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Namibia in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations 293 nbsp Niger 7 May 2009 294 Australia and Niger established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 Australia is accredited to Niger from Abuja Nigeria The first Australian ambassador presented credentials in Niamey on January 25 2011 295 Niger is accredited to Australia through its embassy in New Delhi India President Issoufou Mahamadou made the first visit to Australia by a Nigerien President in October 2017 to promote bilateral relations in such areas as mining energy and dryland agriculture and security and counter terrorism cooperation 296 nbsp Nigeria 1 October 1960 Australia and Nigeria enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations Diplomatic relations were established upon Nigeria s independence in 1960 with the appointment of an Australian high commissioner based in the then capital of Lagos Periodic Nigeria Australia Senior Officials Talks are held under a Memorandum of Understanding MoU between the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade signed in September 2012 The third such bilaterial discussions were held in Abuja in February 2020 297 Australia has a high commission in Abuja and an honorary consulate in Lagos For a detailed history of Australian representation in Nigeria see List of high commissioners of Australia to Nigeria Nigeria has a high commission in Canberra There is a small but growing Nigerian born community in Australia The 2016 Australian census recorded 8 488 Nigerian born residents Migration from Nigeria started with students in the 1960s and nowadays continues through skilled and family migration 298 See also Nigerian Australians Total merchandise trade between the countries in 2019 2020 was A 460 million a significant element being Australian imports of crude petroleum 299 Nigeria Australia Investment Fora most recently held in Melbourne in 2020 have sought to promote an expansion of Australian investment 300 nbsp Rwanda 2007 Australia and Rwanda enjoy good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations Diplomatic relations were formalized in 2007 301 Australia s high commissioner is accredited from Nairobi Kenya Rwanda s high commissioner is accredited from Singapore It also has an honorary consulate general in Melbourne The two countries trading relationship is modest In 2019 2020 the two way merchandise trade was A 1 6 million 302 Rwanda exports coffee and tea to Australia while it has also attracted Australian companies in mining agro inputs and technology to Rwanda Additionally a sizable number of Rwandans have benefited from Australian government scholarships to pursue graduate and post graduate courses in Australia over the years 303 In 1994 1995 Australia provided two small military medical contingents to support the post genocide United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda UNAMIR II 304 nbsp Sao Tome and Principe 8 July 2009 305 Australia and Sao Tome and Principe established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 Australia is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe from its embassy in Lisbon Portugal 306 Sao Tome and Principe is accredited to Australia through its embassy in Lisbon nbsp Senegal 26 September 1974 258 See Australia Senegal relations Australia and Senegal established diplomatic relations with the accreditation in September 1974 of an Australian ambassador resident in Accra Ghana Senegal s ambassador to Australia is accredited from Tokyo Japan It maintains an honorary consulate general in Melbourne Two way merchandise trade between the countries was A 110 million in 2019 2020 307 nbsp Seychelles 29 June 1976 Australia and Seychelles have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Indian Ocean Rim Association dating back prior to Seychelles independence Then Prime Minister James Mancham made an official visit to Australia in April 1976 308 Diplomatic relations were established on 29 June 1976 Seychelles independence day 309 Australia s high commissioner to Seychelles is resident in Port Louis Mauritius Seychelles high commissioner to Australia is resident in New Delhi India There has been a significant Seychellois diaspora living in Australia traditionally the largest outside Seychelles although the number of Seychelles born residents has dropped in recent years The latest Australian Census in 2016 recorded 2 519 Seychelles born people in Australia 310 The diaspora is significantly enlarged by second and third generations of Seychellois ancestry who maintain links with the island nation Many Seychelles political and business leaders have studied in Australia Total merchandise trade between the two countries in 2019 2020 was valued at A 10 6 million 311 Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Seychelles in April 2009 to promote bilateral relations This was reciprocated in August 2011 by the state visit of President James Michel 312 An Australian lawyer heads the Truth Reconciliation and National Unity Commission TRNUC established by the Seychelles National Assembly in 2018 The TRNUC is examining the political human rights and legal legacy of Seychelles long time authoritarian ruler France Albert Rene 313 nbsp Sierra Leone 9 October 1981 314 Australia and Sierra Leone have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations Diplomatic relations were formally established in October 1981 with the appointment of the first non resident Australian high commissioner Australia is accredited to Sierra Leone from its high commission in Accra Ghana Sierra Leone is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Beijing China It also has an honorary consulate general in Sydney There is a small Sierra Leone community in Australia the majority of whom have come after 2001 under the Humanitarian Program The 2016 Australian census recorded 3 410 Sierra Leone born persons 315 Australia has been active in contributing capacity development and small development projects in Sierra Leone including support to peace building through financial and technical assistance to the UN Peace building Fund and the Special Court for Sierra Leone 316 Bilateral trade is modest Total merchandise trade in 2019 2020 was A 4 5 million 317 nbsp Somalia 2010 Australia established diplomatic relations with Somalia in 2010 318 Australia s ambassador to Somalia is accredited from Nairobi Kenya Somalia currently does not have representation to Australia Australia has supported the state building and counter terrorism efforts of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia UNSOM and the African Union Mission in Somalia AMISOM and has provided humanitarian assistance Australia s first involvement was to support the United Nations approved Unified Task Force UNITAF which delivered humanitarian aid in 1992 1993 The Australian operation was called Operation Solace and involved the deployment of some 900 military personnel to provide a secure environment for the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Baidoa region In May 1993 UNITAF handed over to a reinforced UNOSOM II The Australian Battalion Group withdrew to Australia The Australian Defence Force Contingent provided movement control air traffic control some HQ staff and a ready reaction security team at the Mogadishu airport The Australian force was withdrawn in 1996 319 Australia provided over 61 million to Somalia in 2011 in response to the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis and has since provided funding to support the AMISOM mission and humanitarian projects 320 In September 2012 following the election of Hassan Sheikh Ahmed Mohamoud foreign minister Bob Carr said Australia shares the cautious optimism of the international community about Somalia s future prospects 321 There is a small Somali community in Australia Most Somalis began to settle in Australia in the early 1990s following the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia About 80 per cent of the new arrivals came under the aegis of the local Refugee and Special Humanitarian Program The latest Census in 2016 recorded 7 668 Somalia born people in Australia half of whom are resident in Victoria 322 See Somali Australians for more information Trading ties are modest and mainly comprise Australian merchandise exports In 2019 2020 this was valued at A 1 8m 323 nbsp South Africa 8 May 1946 See Australia South Africa relations nbsp Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce meets with Nelson Mandela during her stopover in South Africa March 24 2009 Australia announced the appointment of its first High Commissioner to South Africa in May 1946 with the high commission being established in Cape Town from August 1946 The Australian High Commission later moved to Pretoria For a detailed history of Australian representation in South Africa see List of high commissioners of Australia to South Africa South Africa established a High Commission in Canberra in 1949 For a detailed history of South African representation in Australia see List of high commissioners of South Africa to Australia Both countries are historically linked through the British Empire and are members of the Commonwealth of Nations Following the adoption of the apartheid policy by South Africa in 1948 relations became increasingly strained particularly from the 1970s onwards although diplomatic relations were maintained Relations have been normalized since the inauguration of the first democratically elected Government of South Africa in May 1994 and there are substantial political economic and people to people links between the two countries In his first year of freedom Nelson Mandela visited Australia in 1990 to thank the country for opposing apartheid 324 According to the 2016 Australian census 162 450 Australian residents were born in South Africa South African born immigrants have distinguished themselves in sport the arts media and business see South African Australians South Africa is Australia s largest export market in Africa with two way trade in goods and services totaling A 3 141 billion in 2021 South Africa is also Australia s most significant investment partner in Africa with bilateral investment valued at A 15 2 billion in 2021 325 Both countries are members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association IORA and the Antarctic Treaty System nbsp South Sudan 24 September 2011 nbsp Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and his South Sudanese counterpart Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Nhial Deng Nhial sign a joint communique establishing diplomatic relations between Australia and South Sudan Australia and South Sudan established diplomatic relations on 24 September 2011 210 Australia s ambassador is accredited on a non resident basis from Addis Ababa Ethiopia South Sudan s ambassador is accredited on a non resident basis from Beijing Australia is home to a significant South Sudanese community According to the 2016 Australian Housing and Population Census 7 699 Australian residents were born in South Sudan Community leaders estimate that counting persons born when South Sudan was part of the Republic of Sudan and who report their birthplace as Sudan the total is about 20 000 The majority of the South Sudan born population arrived in Australia between 2001 and 2006 under Australia s refugee resettlement program 326 South Sudanese Australians have distinguished themselves in a wide variety of fields including sport fashion music and law Australia has contributed almost 113 million in humanitarian assistance to South Sudan since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013 including over 60 million since 2017 327 Australia has a contingent of Australian Defence Force personnel in South Sudan who have been deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan UNMISS since its inception in 2011 nbsp Sudan 8 February 1974 328 Australia is accredited to Sudan from its embassy in Cairo Egypt Sudan has an embassy in Canberra which took over the old Eritrean embassy and opened in 2017 Although Australia had been critical of human rights violations and political repression in Sudan and has applied Sudan related UN sanctions relations have improved since 2017 In September 2018 Australia and Sudan held inaugural Senior Officials Talks in Canberra The 2016 Australian Census recorded 17 031 Sudan born people in Australia Since 2001 many immigrants from Sudan or those born to Sudanese parents in regugee camps have come under the Humanitarian Program 329 Trade between the two countries is modest totalling about A 10m in 2019 2020 330 Sudan regularly attends the Africa Down Under and the International Mining and Resources Conferences at ministerial level nbsp Tanzania 11 May 1962 Australia announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with Tanganyika on 11 May 1962 A resident high commission was opened in July 1962 76 The post was closed in 1987 for budgetary reasons Australia has since been accredited to Tanzania from its high commission in Nairobi Kenya Tanzania is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan It also has honorary consulates in Adelaide and Perth President Julius Nyerere made a 5 day state visit to Australia in March 1974 331 332 Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce paid a state visit to Tanzania in March 2009 333 There is a small Tanzanian community in Australia with the Australian Census in 2016 recording 3 830 Tanzanian born persons 334 Several Australian companies are involved in mining projects in Tanzania and minerals and engineering equipment are Australia s main exports to the country Tanzania s main exports to Australia are coffee and agricultural crops Two way merchandise trade between Australia and Tanzania was over 61 million in 2018 19 335 nbsp Togo 22 July 2009 336 Australia and Togo established diplomatic relations in 2009 as part of a broadening of Australia s engagement with Africa under the Governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard 222 337 The Australian high commissioner is accredited from Accra Togo has not yet established representation to Australia nbsp Tunisia 17 February 1977 140 Australia is accredited to Tunisia from its high commission in Malta Tunisia maintained an embassy in Canberra for a number of years until 2021 and is now accredited to Australia from its embassy in Jakarta Indonesia It also has an honorary consulate in Brisbane Australia and Tunisia have a modest trading relationship with two way merchandise trade valued at about A 40 million in 2019 2020 338 nbsp Uganda 23 August 1965 261 Australia and Uganda have enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth of Nations Diplomatic relations were announced in August 1965 with the accreditation of Australia s high commissioner based in Nairobi Kenya Australia also has an honorary consulate in Kampala Uganda has a high commission in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Perth The Australian Uganda trade relationship is modest with two way merchandise trade and investment reaching almost A 7 million in 2018 19 The main Australian exports are engineering equipment and the main imports are coffee and spices 339 nbsp Zambia 1972 Australia is accredited to Zambia from its embassy in Harare Zimbabwe Zambia has a high commission in Canberra 340 Both countries are full members of Commonwealth of Nations Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Zambia in March 2009 to promote bilateral relations 341 nbsp Zimbabwe 18 April 1980 See Australia Zimbabwe relations Australia and Zimbabwe established diplomatic relations upon Zimbabwe s independence on 18 April 1980 342 The Australian liaison office in Harare then Salisbury was upgraded on that date to a high commission embassy since 2003 when Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth For a detailed history of Australian representation in Zimbabwe see List of ambassadors of Australia to Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has an embassy in Canberra which opened in 1988 Australia played a leading role in the Lancaster House negotiations for the internationally recognised decolonisation of Southern Rhodesia and the then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser attended the independence celebrations on the invitation of then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe Australia had contributed to the Commonwealth Ceasefire Monitoring Force 343 Relations between the two countries soured in the late 1990s following the implementation in Zimbabwe of a controversial land reform program and later the increasingly autocratic behaviour of the Mugabe government In 2002 the Howard government in Australia imposed targeted sanctions against members of the Zimbabwean government in protest against the deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe These sanctions adjusted over time remain in force as of 2021 They include an arms embargo and sanctions against listed individuals designated as having seriously undermined democracy respect for human rights or the rule of law in Zimbabwe There is a significant Zimbabwean diaspora in Australia The latest Census in 2016 recorded 34 787 Zimbabwe born people in Australia While most of these are white Zimbabweans and of English or Scottish backgrounds there are growing numbers of people of indigenous Shona and Ndebele ethnicities 344 Zimbabwean Australians across ethnic backgrounds have distinguished themselves in sports music and the arts Following Zimbabwe s independence trade between the countries developed modestly but is presently minimal two way trade in 2019 2020 was only about A 2 million 345 Americas edit Country Formal relations began Notes nbsp Antigua and Barbuda Australia and Antigua and Barbuda enjoy good relations with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Both countries have established diplomatic relations 346 Australia is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago Antigua and Barbuda have not yet established representation in Australia nbsp Argentina December 10 1959 See Argentina Australia relations Australia and Argentina agreed in December 1959 through an exchange of notes to establish diplomatic relations 347 Australia has an embassy in Buenos Aires established in 1962 For a detailed history of Australian representation in Argentina see List of ambassadors of Australia to Argentina Argentina has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney There is significant trade and investment between the two countries Two way merchandise trade in 2021 22 was over A 1 5 billion In 2021 Australian investment in Argentina was valued at just over A 1 billion 348 The two countries have a reciprocal work and holiday visa agreement and Australia is a destination for Argentine students studying abroad In July 1986 President Raul Alfonsin became the first Argentine head of state to visit Australia In March 1998 President Carlos Menem also made a state visit to Australia Governor General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Argentina in 2016 349 Scott Morrison was the first Australian Prime Minister to visit Argentina during 2018 G20 Buenos Aires summit Both countries are members of multi national groups such as the G20 and Cairns Group and share common interests in many issues such as Antarctica and international peacekeeping nbsp Bahamas 7 January 1974 Australia and the Bahamas enjoy good relations with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974 350 Australia is accredited to the Bahamas from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago The Bahamas has an honorary consulate in Sydney nbsp Barbados 7 January 1974 See Australia Barbados relations Australia and Barbados enjoy good relations with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974 350 Australia is accredited to Barbados from its high commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago 351 The lone Australian High Commission in the Caribbean was located in Bridgetown Barbados from 1994 to 2004 before it moved to Port of Spain Australia also has an honorary consulate in Bridgetown Barbados is accredited to Australia from its High Commission in Ottawa Canada nbsp Belize 17 January 1982 Australia and Belize enjoy good relations with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations Australia and Belize are Co Chairs with Mauritius of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Coral Reef Protection and Restoration and members of the International Coral Reef Initiative 352 Australia is accredited to Belize from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago 353 Belize has an honorary consulate in Sydney nbsp Bolivia 10 April 1975 354 The first non resident Australian ambassador to Bolivia presented credentials on 14 October 1975 355 Australia is accredited to Bolivia from its embassy in Lima Peru and maintains an honorary consulate in La Paz Bolivia is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Ottawa Canada and maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney Bolivia and Australia work together as part of the Cairns Group on agricultural trade reform In 2002 the Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Mark Vaile visited Santa Cruz for a Cairns Group meeting Australia also provides a small amount of development assistance to Bolivia at local community level through its Direct Aid Program There is a small bilateral trade relationship Total merchandise trade in 2020 was A 26 million mostly comprising Bolivian food related exports to Australia 356 There is investment in mining services and technology Australia Bolivia bilateral treaties include two extradition treaties nbsp Brazil 7 June 1945 See Australia Brazil relations Australia has an embassy in Brasilia a consulate general in Sao Paulo and an honorary consulate in Rio de Janeiro For a detailed history of Australian representation in Brazil see List of ambassadors of Australia to Brazil Brazil has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Adelaide Brisbane Darwin Hobart Melbourne and Perth Brazilians form the largest migrant group from Latin America resident in Australia see Brazilian Australians The 2016 Australian census recorded 27 625 residents born in Brazil and 21 353 residents of Brazilian descent As of 2020 Brazil was also the fifth largest source of international students studying in Australia Two way trade in goods and services in 2021 22 was A 4 8 billion a significant element of which was Australian exports of coal Australian investments in Brazil in 2021 was valued at A 9 6 billion and Brazilian investments in Australia totaled almost A 5 billion Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited Brazil in 2012 and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff visited Australia for a G20 meeting in 2014 Governor General Peter Cosgrove visited Brazil during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro nbsp Canada 12 September 1939 See Australia Canada relations nbsp Australia House Canada is an example of an Australian mission it serves as the ambassadorial residence As Canada is a fellow Commonwealth nation Australia maintains a High Commission there Australia and Canada have a longstanding relationship that has been fostered by both countries shared history and culture as former British Dominions and present members of the Commonwealth of Nations There are significant political economic academic and people to people links Australia has a high commission in Ottawa a consulate general in Toronto and a consulate in Vancouver For a detailed history of Australian representation in Canada see List of high commissioners of Australia to Canada Canada has a high commission in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney For a detailed history of Canadian representation in Australia see List of high commissioners of Canada to Australia The Australian 2016 Census recorded 43 053 Canada born people in Australia 357 There is a working holiday program in place which allows young people to travel and work for set periods in each other s country Bilateral trade and investment is substantial In 2019 20 two way trade was 4 7 billion in goods and A 3 billion in services At the end of 2019 Australian investment in Canada was valued at 83 4 billion and Canadian investment in Australia was valued at 60 7 billion 358 Both countries are members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership CPTPP Canada s and Australia s militaries have fought alongside each other numerous times including the Second Boer War World War I World War II the Korean War and many United Nations Security Council sanctioned missions To maintain this military alliance a Canadian Defence Advisor is stationed at the High Commission in Canberra to share intelligence 359 Australia and Canada both contributed to the International force in East Timor and both worked closely together to fight terrorism in Afghanistan They are both members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance Canada Australia and New Zealand have a history of working together in the United Nations UN on issues ranging from security to development to human rights including through an informal grouping known as CANZ There are regular high level exchanges of political visits between the two countries Australian Prime Ministers John Curtin and John Howard have addressed joint sessions of the Canadian Parliament in 1944 and 2006 respectively In 2007 Stephen Harper became the first Canadian Prime Minister to address the Australian Parliament Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce visited Canada in 2013 nbsp Chile 27 December 1945 See Australia Chile relations During the Australian gold rush of the 1850s Chile became one of Australia s major food suppliers After 1866 however interaction and trade was minimal until after the Second World War 360 The intention to exchange diplomatic representatives between the two countries was announced in April 1945 The Chilean consulate was upgraded to a legation and headed by a Charge d Affaires en titre from July 1945 361 The first Australian Minister to Chile was appointed in January 1946 362 and presented credentials in August 1946 The Australian legation closed for budgetary reasons in 1949 Relations were upgraded to ambassadorial level in the 1960s when the Australian embassy was opened in 1968 and Chile reciprocated with an upgrade of its legation in 1969 For a detailed history of Australian representation in Chile see List of ambassadors of Australia to Chile Australia has an embassy in Santiago Chile has an embassy in Canberra consulates general in Melbourne and Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane and Perth In 1993 President Patricio Aylwin became the first Chilean head of state to pay an official visit to Australia 363 In 2004 Prime Minister John Howard became the first Australian head of government to visit Chile and to attend the APEC Summit Governor General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Chile in 2016 364 There are strong people to people links between the two countries The 2016 Australian census recorded 26 086 Chile born people in Australia 365 Australia is also a popular destination for Chilean students and there is a working holiday agreement between the two countries See also Chilean Australians Both countries are members of APEC and the Cairns Group Australia and Chile signed the Australia Chile Free Trade Agreement on 30 July 2008 The agreement came into effect in the first quarter of 2009 Two way merchandise trade in 2020 was over A 1 26 billion and Australian investment in Chile was A 2 8 billion 366 nbsp Colombia 9 September 1975 Australia has an embassy in Bogota upgraded from a consulate general in 2017 Prior to this it was accredited on a non resident basis from neighbouring Latin American countries For a detailed history of Australian representation in Colombia see List of ambassadors of Australia to Colombia Colombia has an embassy in Canberra a consulate general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane Darwin and Perth Economic problems and violence led to an emigration of Colombians to Australia in the 1980s Colombians are one of the largest South American migrant groups in Australia see Colombian Australians The 2016 Australian census recorded 18 996 residents born in Colombia and 17 984 residents of Colombian descent Australia is also an increasing destination for Colombians studying abroad with almost 19 000 recorded in 2020 367 Two way trade in goods and services in 2021 22 totaled A 867 million a significant element of which was Australian educational services to Colombian students In 2021 Australian investments in Colombia totaled A 633 million 368 Both armies fought alongside each other in the Korean war nbsp Costa Rica 15 October 1974 In 1884 Costa Rica opened a consular office in New South Wales 369 Australia and Costa Rica established formal diplomatic relations in October 1974 with the presentation of credentials of Australia s first non resident Ambassador 370 Australia is accredited to Costa Rica through its embassy in Mexico City It also has an honorary consulate in San Jose Costa Rica opened an Embassy in Canberra in 2017 It also has an honorary consulate in Sydney Costa Rica is Australia s second largest trading partner in Central America Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019 2020 was A 132 million mostly Australian imports of medical instruments and other manufactured goods 371 nbsp Cuba 31 January 1989 Australia is accredited to Cuba from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico Cuba has an embassy in Canberra opened on 24 October 2008 and a consulate general in Sydney Prior to a thawing of relations in the late 1980s official exchanges between the two countries were limited and from the early 1960s characterized by the two countries being firmly on opposite sides of the Cold War Australia was suspicious of Cuban internationalist activities in the Pacific and only in the 1980s was a Cuban consulate allowed to open in Sydney This changed substantially as the Cold War began to be wound down Full diplomatic relations were established under the Bob Hawke government in January 1989 Since 1996 Australia has voted in favor of Cuba s annual resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for an end to the United States embargo against Cuba Since the 1990s Australia has recognised the value of Cuban development engagement in the Pacific and has worked with Cuba to support the integration of Cuban trained doctors into Pacific Island health systems An Australia Cuba Business Council set up on 2015 promotes business sport and cultural exchange There have been exchanges in recent years at senior ministerial level with Australian foreign ministers Gareth Evans Stephen Smith and Julie Bishop visiting Cuba in 1995 2009 and 2017 respectively Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez visiting Australia in 2010 and Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Marcelino Medina Gonzalez visiting in 2018 nbsp Dominica Australia and Dominica enjoy good relations with links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Australia is accredited to Dominica from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago Dominica has not yet established representation in Australia The Australian Government provided A 1 5 million in humanitarian assistance to Dominica through the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Population Fund after Hurricane Maria in 2017 372 nbsp Dominican Republic 22 April 1997 Australia and the Dominican Republic established diplomatic relations on 22 April 1997 373 Australia is accredited to the Dominican Republic from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico The Dominican Republic is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan It also has an honorary consulate in Adelaide Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019 20 was valued at almost A 69 million a large component being Australian imports of medical instruments 374 nbsp Ecuador Australia is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Santiago Chile and has an honorary consulate in Guayaquil Ecuador has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Adelaide and Melbourne There is a small Ecuadorian community in Australia The 2016 Australian census recorded 2 225 Ecuador born residents and 2 153 residents of Ecuardorian descent A new Work and Holiday Visa arrangement between Australia and Ecuador commenced in 2019 20 Trade between the two countries is modest amounting to A 93 million in 2021 22 375 In November 2017 an Australia Ecuador Business Summit was held in Quito to promote Australia s expertise and capacity to support Ecuador s growing mining sector nbsp El Salvador 5 December 1983 See Australia El Salvador relations Australia is accredited to El Salvador from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico and has an honorary consulate in San Salvador El Salvador has an embassy in Canberra a consulate general in Melbourne and honorary consulates in Brisbane and Sydney In response to the civil war in El Salvador between 1983 and 1986 Australia accepted around 10 000 Salvadorans under the Special Humanitarian Program The Salvadoran community in Australia is estimated at 20 000 Australia is home to the third largest Salvadoran community living abroad 376 See also Salvadoran Australians nbsp Grenada Australia and Grenada enjoy good relations with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Australia is accredited to Grenada from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago 377 Grenada has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia nbsp Guatemala 7 January 1974 Australia is accredited to Guatemala from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico and has an honorary consulate in Tegucigalpa Guatemala has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Melbourne and Sydney Bilateral trade is modest amounting to A 46m in 2021 22 An important element of this was Australian imports of coffee 378 nbsp Guyana 7 January 1974 Australia and Guyana enjoy good relations with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974 350 Australia is accredited to Guyana from its high commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago Guyana is accredited to Australia from its high commission in Ottawa Canada Bilateral merchandise trade between the two countries was A 7 million in 2019 20 379 Guyana attended at ministerial level the 2017 Latin America Down Under Conference in Perth to promote investment and cooperation in the mining sector 380 nbsp Haiti 2000 Australia and Haiti established diplomatic relations in 2000 381 Australia is accredited to Haiti from its High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago Haiti has an honorary consulate in Melbourne After the devastating 2010 earthquake the Australian Government provided A 26 7 million in humanitarian assistance to Haiti which was matched by A 26 million from the Australian public Australia has since provided further humanitarian aid to Haiti after subsequent natural disasters including Hurricane Matthew in 2016 nbsp Honduras 10 July 1984 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 July 1984 when Mr Cavan Hogue Australian Ambassador presented his credentials to President of Honduras Roberto Suazo Cordova 161 Australia and Honduras established diplomatic relations in 1984 382 Australia is accredited to Honduras from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico It also has an honorary consulate in Tegucigalpa Honduras has not yet established representation in Australia Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019 20 reached A 81 million mostly Australian imports of mineral ores coffee and textiles 383 nbsp Jamaica 7 January 1974 Australia and Jamaica enjoy good relations through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974 350 Australia is accredited to Jamaica from its high commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago It has an honorary consulate in Kingston The Australian high commission to the Caribbean was located in Kingston From 1975 until 1994 when it moved to Barbados Jamaica is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan It has an honorary consulate in Sydney Bilateral merchandise trade in 2019 20 was valued at A 33 million a large component of which was Australian meat exports 384 nbsp Mexico 14 March 1966 385 See Australia Mexico relations Australia has an embassy in Mexico City and an honorary consulate in Cancun Mexico has an embassy in Canberra and honorary consulates in Brisbane Melbourne Perth and Sydney Mexico is Australia s largest merchandise trading partner in Latin America Two way trade in goods and services in 2021 22 was over 4 4 billion substantially Australian imports of vehicles and other manufactures and metal ores Australian investments in Mexico in 2021 totaled A 5 9 billion primarily in the infrastructure and energy sectors and Mexican investments in Australia were valued at A 0 5 billion 386 The expanding trade relationship is supported by mutual membership of APEC and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership CPTPP Australia s first free trade agreement with Mexico The two countries also work closely together on international questions through the MIKTA group an informal middle power partnership between Mexico Indonesia South Korea Turkey and Australia In 1973 Prime Minister Gough Whitlam became the first Australian head of government to pay an official visit to Mexico followed later by Prime Ministers Malcom Fraser John Howard and Julia Gillard in 1981 2002 and 2012 respectively In 1990 Carlos Salinas de Gortari became the first Mexican President to visit Australia This was followed by President Felipe Calderon in 2007 and President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2014 Governor General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Mexico in August 2016 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations 387 nbsp Nicaragua 1987 Australia and Nicaragua established diplomatic relations in 1987 388 Australia is accredited to Nicaragua from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico Nicaragua is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo Japan Bilateral merchandise trade is modest In 2019 20 this was valued at A 18 6 million half of which was Australian imports of coffee 389 nbsp Panama 1974 Australia and Panama established diplomatic relations in 1974 390 Australia is accredited to Panama from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico It has an honorary consulate in Panama City Panama opened an embassy in Canberra in 2018 It also has an honorary consulate general in Sydney Bilateral merchandise trade is modest In 2019 20 this reached A 80 million mostly Australian exports of manufactured articles 391 nbsp Paraguay 30 November 1974 See Australia Paraguay relations Australia and Paraguay established diplomatic relations in 1974 with the first non resident Australian ambassador presenting his credentials on 2 December 1974 392 Australia is accredited to Paraguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires Argentina It has an honorary consulate in Asuncion Paraguay opened an embassy in Canberra in 2011 As agricultural producers and exporters the two countries work together to achieve fairer international trade in agricultural products through membership of the Cairns Group and co operation in other multilateral fora Australia is also increasing its engagement with Paraguay through development co operation and people to people exchanges An increasing number of Paraguayan students are pursuing their education at Australian institutions 393 nbsp Peru 1 March 1963 Main article Australia Peru relations Australia has an embassy in Lima For a detailed history of Australian representation in Peru see List of ambassadors of Australia to Peru Peru has an embassy in Canberra a consulate general in Sydney and honorary consulates in Brisbane Melbourne and Perth There are growing people to people links between Australia and Peru The 2016 Australian census recorded 9 553 residents born in Peru There is a working holiday visa agreement between the two countries and Australia is a destination for Peruvian students studying abroad Economic ties between the two countries have developed rapidly in recent years In 2018 19 Australia s two way trade with Peru was worth A 656 million A Peru Australia Free Trade Agreement PAFTA entered into force on 11 February 2020 Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Peru in 2016 to attend the APEC summit nbsp Saint Kitts and Nevis 6 February 1986 Australia and Saint Kitts and Nevis enjoy good relations with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia s first non resident high commissioner on 6 February 1986 394 395 Australia is accredited to St Kitts and Nevis from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago St Kitts and Nevis have not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia nbsp Saint Lucia 1982 396 Australia and Saint Lucia enjoy good relations with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Australia is accredited to Saint Lucia from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago Saint Lucia has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia nbsp Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 31 January 1986 Australia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enjoy good relations with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties particularly cricket Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia s first non resident high commissioner on 31 January 1986 397 Australia is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from its High Commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago 398 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have an honorary consulate in Sydney nbsp Suriname 3 February 1994 399 Australia is accredited to Suriname from its high commission in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago Suriname is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Jakarta Indonesia Bilateral trade is modest valued at A 12 million in 2021 11 and mostly Australian vehicle exports 400 nbsp Trinidad and Tobago 7 January 1974 350 Australia and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy good relations with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and have sporting ties particularly cricket Australia has a high commission in Port of Spain which is also accredited on a non resident basis to other Commonwealth Caribbean countries For a detailed history of Australian representation in Trinidad and Tobago see Australian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago has not yet established representation in Australia Prime Minister Keith Rowley visited Australia in May 2018 Bilateral trade reached A 75 million in 2020 21 the main elements being Australian meat and cheese exports and fertilizer imports 401 BHP is Australia s largest investor in Trinidad and Tobago accounting for approximately 10 of Trinidad and Tobago s oil and gas production nbsp United States 8 January 1940 nbsp Prime Minister of Australia John Howard with US President George W Bush on 16 May 2006 during Howard s seventh official visit to the White House as Prime Minister From left to right the Prime Minister s wife Janette Howard former US First Lady Laura Bush Howard and Bush See Australia United States relationsWhile Australia has emphasised its relationship with the United States since 1942 as Britain s influence in Asia declined At the governmental level United States Australia relations are formalized by the ANZUS treaty and the Australia United States Free Trade Agreement Australia has an embassy in Washington D C and has consulates general in Chicago Honolulu Houston Los Angeles New York City and San Francisco United States has an embassy in Canberra and consulates general in Melbourne Perth and Sydney nbsp Uruguay 1948 See Australia Uruguay relations Australia is accredited to Uruguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires Argentina and maintains an honorary consulate in Montevideo Uruguay has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney Australia and Uruguay have had consular relations since 1923 and diplomatic relations since 1948 through an exchange of notes 402 Uruguay opened a legation in Canberra in 1958 and this was raised to embassy in 1968 with the concurrent non resident accreditation of an Australian ambassador The first migrants from Uruguay came to Australia in the 1960s with growing numbers in the 1970s due to repression by the then military dictatorship in Uruguay The 2016 Australian census reported almost 9 000 Uruguay born residents and over 7 800 residents of Uruguayan descent The two countries share a long history of collaboration to advance global reforms of agricultural trade through the Cairns Group Australia and Uruguay also share an interest in the Antarctic waters and the fisheries therein and collaborate through the Antarctic Treaty System Governor General Peter Cosgrove made an official visit to Uruguay in August 2016 403 nbsp Venezuela 31 May 1973 404 Australia is currently accredited to Venezuela from its embassy in Mexico City Mexico For a detailed history of Australian representation in Venezuela see List of ambassadors of Australia to Venezuela Venezuela has an embassy in Canberra During the 1970s 1980s and 1990s Australian governments were keen to promote expanded trade and investment between the two countries Australia maintained an embassy in Caracas from 1979 until 2002 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Tim Fischer visited Caracas in June 1996 and as a result a number of key areas for development were identified including the mining agriculture and maritime sectors 405 However progress has been constrained by political and economic instability in Venezuela particularly since the launch of the Bolivarian Revolution by President Hugo Chavez Bilateral trade is currently small amounting to about A 20 million in 2020 mostly related to export of educational services to Venezuelan students 406 Australia s investment interests in Venezuela have focussed on the mining and related services sectors There is a small Venezuelan community in Australia expanded by skilled immigration since 2005 The 2016 Australian census recorded 5 460 Venezuela born people in Australia 407 Notwithstanding Australia s decision in January 2019 to formally recognise Juan Guaido as interim President of Venezuela 408 409 the embassy in Canberra representing the Nicolas Maduro Government has remained fully accredited Asia edit Country Formal relations began Notes nbsp Afghanistan 30 March 1969 410 nbsp An Australian service light armored vehicle drives through Tangi Valley Afghanistan March 29 2011 Australia and Afghanistan have shared a friendly and long standing relationship which can be traced back as far as the 1860s when Afghan cameleers came to Australia to contribute to the carriage of explorers assistance in transportation for the wool and mining industry and supporting major inland infrastructure projects such as the overland telegraph and railways The early cameleers built the first mosques in Australia with the oldest permanent mosque built in Adelaide in 1888 411 The Ghan train is named in their honour 412 Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1969 The Australian ambassador was accredited from Islamabad and the Afghan ambassador was accredited from Tokyo 413 In 1975 the then Australian Governor General Sir John Kerr made the first state visit between the countries 414 Diplomatic relations were suspended between the 1978 coup which deposed President Mohammed Daoud Khan and the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2002 However consular relations were re established in 1994 with the opening of an Afghan honorary consulate in Australia by the government of the Islamic State of Afghanistan The consulate continued operation after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 1996 415 In late 2001 the Australian Defence Force commenced Operation Slipper as Australia s contribution to assist the NATO led International Security Assistance Force mission in the War in Afghanistan and the War on Terror to combat the Taliban and their allied groups 416 The operation ended on 31 December 2014 and was replaced with Operation Highroad which commenced on 1 January 2015 to assist the NATO led Resolute Support Mission 417 Australia completed a withdrawal of its remaining troops based in Afghanistan in June 2021 418 Diplomatic relations resumed in 2002 An Afghan embassy was opened in Canberra in July 2002 by the Interim Afghan administration of Hamid Karzai The same year Australia resumed its non resident accreditation from Islamabad An Australian embassy was opened in Kabul in 2006 It has been closed since the end of May 2021 419 Since September 2021 an Australian Interim Mission on Afghanistan has been based in Doha Qatar headed by a Special Representative For a detailed history of Australian diplomatic representation to Afghanistan see List of ambassadors of Australia to Afghanistan A Comprehensive Long term Partnership Between Australia and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was signed in 2012 to provide the framework for Australian development assistance and the promotion of political security economic social and cultural ties between the two nations 420 Between 2001 and 2021 Australia provided more than 1 5 billion in Official Development Assistance to Afghanistan 421 Australia has also accepted many Afghan refugees with the first wave following the Soviet invasion in 1979 According to the 2016 Australian census 46 800 Australians were born in Afghanistan see Afghan Australians President Ashraf Ghani made the first visit to Australia by an Afghan head of state in April 2017 Governors General Quentin Bryce Peter Cosgrove and David Hurley and successive Prime Ministers visited Afghanistan in the period when Australian troops were stationed there Since the Taliban victory in 2021 Australia has not recognised the Islamic Emirate government and continues to accredit the embassy of the Islamic Republic in Canberra nbsp Armenia 15 January 1992 See Armenia Australia relations The Australian government recognised Armenia s independence on 26 December 1991 upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 422 and established diplomatic relations early the following year Australia s ambassador is accredited from Moscow Russia Armenia s ambassador is accredited from Tokyo Japan The first Armenian ambassador presented credentials in December 2022 A substantial number of Australians are of Armenian descent The Armenian community in Australia is estimated to be 50 000 people primarily residing in Sydney and Melbourne The first Armenians migrated to Australia in the 1850s during the gold rush The majority came to Australia in the 1960s 1990s from Egypt Cyprus and Lebanon 423 Australians of Armenian descent have attained prominence in politics business sport academia and culture see Armenian Australians The Armenian Foreign Minister H E Mr Vardan Oskanyan visited Australia in October 2005 The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia has not passed a motion recognising the Armenian genocide in 1915 although the State of New South Wales has done so nbsp Azerbaijan 19 June 1992 See Australia Azerbaijan relations The Australian government recognised Azerbaijan s independence on 26 December 1991 upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 422 and established diplomatic relations the following year Australia is accredited to Azerbaijan from its embassy in Ankara Turkey Azerbaijan has an embassy in Canberra Bilateral trade in 2021 22 was almost A 80 million the major element being Australian imports of crude petroleum 424 In February 2020 the government of Azerbaijan provided material assistance to Australia to combat the impact of forest fires 425 With regard to Azerbaijan s conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno Karabakh region Australia supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe Minsk Group to resolve the conflict 426 nbsp Bahrain 13 April 1987 Australia has long standing ties with Bahrain that predate its full independence in 1971 Australia maintained a consulate general in Manama from 1964 to 1986 Formal diplomatic relations were established in April 1987 with the presentation of credentials of Australia s first non resident ambassador 427 Australia s ambassador is accredited from Riyadh and Bahrain s ambassador is accredited from Jakarta Bahrain is an important trading partner for Australia In 2018 19 Australian merchandise exports were worth 1 43 billion Australia s exports mainly comprised alumina meat dairy products and wheat 428 Bahrain provides port access to Australian naval ships The two countries participate in the Australia Bahrain and Israel Food Security Initiative under the 2020 Abraham Accords 429 nbsp Bangladesh 31 January 1972 See Australia Bangladesh relations On 31 January 1972 Australia became the first country in the developed world to recognize Bangladesh s independence following the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War 430 An Australian deputy high commission was opened in Dhaka in April 1969 and this was upgraded to an embassy on 31 January 1972 and then high commission following Bangladesh s admission to the Commonwealth of Nations in April 1972 For a detailed history of Australian representation in Bangladesh see List of high commissioners of Australia to Bangladesh Bangladesh has a high commission in Canberra a consulate general in Sydney and an honorary consulate in Perth Since 1970 migration to Australia from Bangladesh steadily increased with the majority arriving as skilled migrants The 2021 Census recorded more than 51 000 people born in Bangladesh living in Australia Australia has also been an increasing destination for Bangladeshi students In 2018 just under 7 000 Bangladeshi students enrolled to study in Australia 431 The two countries enjoy a competitive sporting relationship in Test Cricket Australia and Bangladesh work closely on a range of common strategic interests in regional and global forums including as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Bali Process on People Smuggling Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime In 2008 Bangladesh signed a bilateral counter terrorism MOU with Australia their first with any country Bilateral trade in 2021 22 reached over A 3 6 billion including A 1 5 billion in Australian imports mostly in the textile sector Bangladesh is an important importer of Australian agricultural produce and education services Australian investments in Bangladesh totaled A 324 million in 2021 432 Bangladesh is a significant recipient of foreign aid from Australia Total official development assistance in 2023 2024 was A 116 2 million 433 nbsp Bhutan 14 September 2002 434 Relations between Bhutan and Australia date back to 1962 when Bhutan was just emerging from self imposed isolation and starting to engage with the rest of the world Australia s support at the time was instrumental in Bhutan being admitted as a member of the Colombo Plan Subsequently Australia was among the first countries to support and welcome Bhutan s membership to the United Nations in 1971 435 Australia and Bhutan established formal diplomatic relations on 14 September 2002 Australia s ambassador is accredited from New Delhi Bhutan established a resident embassy in Canberra in September 2021 having previously accredited its ambassador from Bangkok Bhutan also has an honorary consulate in Sydney There has been a rapid increase in recent years in Bhutanese immigration and student enrollments in Australia resulting in Bhutan s largest diaspora with almost 12 000 Bhutanese residing in Australia in 2022 436 Australia is a modest trade and development cooperation partner to Bhutan Total Australian Official Development Assistance to Bhutan in 2023 2024 was budgeted for A 4 9m million 437 In October 2016 LyonchhenTshering Tobgay made the first visit by a Bhutanese Prime Minister to Australia nbsp Brunei 1 January 1984 See Australia Brunei relations Bilateral historical links stretch back to the Second World War when in 1945 Australian forces landed at Muara Beach as part of the Allied campaign to liberate Borneo and common membership of the Commonwealth of Nations Australia established a resident commission in Bandar Seri Begawan in March 1983 and this was upgraded to high commission in 1984 upon Brunei s full independence For a detailed history of Australian representation in Brunei see List of high commissioners of Australia to Brunei Brunei has a high commission in Canberra Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce made a state visit to Brunei in October 2012 This was reciprocated by the Sultan of Brunei in May 2013 438 Bilateral trade in merchandise and services reached A 933 million in 2018 the main element being Australian imports of crude petroleum Australia was Brunei s fourth largest export destination in 2018 Australian investments in Brunei totaled A 77 million and Brunei investments in Australia were valued at A 114 million 439 They are both party to the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area AANZFTA and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership RCEP They are also both signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership CPTPP and founding members of the Indo Pacific Economic Framework IPEF nbsp Cambodia 15 January 1952 See Australia Cambodia relations Australia has an embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodia has an embassy in Canberra Diplomatic relations between Australia and Cambodia were established in 1952 with the appointment of an Australian Minister resident in Saigon 440 An Australian legation was opened in Phnom Penh in 1955 441 Diplomatic relations were raised to Ambassadorial level in 1959 Australia maintained relations with the Khmer Republic following the military coup of 1970 The Australian embassy closed in 1975 ahead of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge on 17 April 1975 That day Australia recognised the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea soon replaced by the fully Khmer Rouge controlled government of Democratic Kampuchea but diplomatic relations were effectively suspended during the entire period of Khmer Rouge rule In solidarity with ASEAN countries Australia did not recognise the People s Republic of Cambodia following the 1979 Vietnamese invasion and continued to recognise the Democratic Kampuchea government in exile However it withdrew recognition on 14 February 1981 in response to information about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge 442 Australia played a leading role in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in the early 1990s In November 1991 Australia s diplomatic presence in Phnom Penh resumed with the appointment of a Permanent Representative to the Supreme National Council of Cambodia 443 upgraded in 1993 to Ambassador to the restored Royal Government of Cambodia Australia has been a substantial contributor to Cambodian development projects since the early 1990s Cambodia and Australia signed a controversial refugee resettlement deal in September 2014 444 There are over 66 000 people of Cambodian origin living in Australia 2016 Census Cambodian refugees began arriving in Australia after the Khmer Rouge regime gained power in 1975 with numbers peaking in the 1980s Approximately 6 000 7 000 Australians reside in Cambodia most being dual Cambodian Australian citizens or expatriates involved in development assistance work or business 445 The two way trade relationship is modest 752 million in 2019 but has been growing quickly Australia and Cambodia are parties to the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement nbsp China 21 December 1972 See Australia China relations nbsp Gough Whitlam during his visit to China in 1973 Australia and the People s Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations on 21 December 1972 Australia has an embassy in Beijing and consulates general in Chengdu Guangzhou Hong Kong Shanghai and Shenyang China has an embassy in Canberra and consulates general in Adelaide Brisbane Melbourne Perth and Sydney Significant Chinese migration started in the middle of the nineteenth century and Chinese now form the second largest migrant community in Australia The 2016 Australian census recorded 509 555 China born people in Australia 446 Prime Minister Gough Whitlam s 1973 diplomatic trip was the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister 447 This was followed over the years by regular visits of China s Paramount leaders and Premiers and Australia s Governors General and Prime Ministers as the relationship deepened On two occasions in 2003 448 and 2014 449 China s Paramount leaders have accepted rare invitations to address the Australian Parliament In 2014 the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership 450 A China Australia Free Trade Agreement ChAFTA entered into force in December 2015 451 China is Australia s largest two way trading partner in goods and services In 2020 Australia accounted for 53 5 billion 2 1 of China s exports ranking 13th among its top trade partners 452 Prior to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic Australia was a major destination for Chinese tourists and students Beginning in mid 2017 the relationship has significantly deteriorated Points of friction include Australia s ban on Huawei s participation in the implementation of a 5G network on national security grounds new Australian foreign investment and anti espionage laws Australian criticism of China in relation to its stance on the South China Sea dispute the treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and changes in electoral and security laws in Hong Kong a new defence pact between Australia and Japan and reactivation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with the United States Japan and India Australia s lead in calling for an independent international investigation into the origins of COVID 19 and the formation of AUKUS in September 2021 under which the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear powered submarines 453 By 2020 China had suspended all high level diplomatic and trade dialogue channels and halted trade in a number of economically important sectors 454 In July 2019 the UN ambassadors from 22 nations including Australia signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China s mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang re education camps 455 In November 2020 the Chinese embassy in Australia released to the media a long list of grievances which were promptly rejected by the Australian Government 456 Through 2021 and much of 2022 relations between the two countries remained tense 457 Following the election of the Albanese government in May 2022 leader and ministerial contacts have modestly restarted 458 Australians trust in China has plunged The 2021 Lowy Institute Poll released in June 2021 found only 16 per cent of Australian respondents trusted China a great deal or somewhat to act responsibly in the world a third of the number from 2018 459 nbsp Georgia 16 July 1992 Australia recognised Georgia s independence and established diplomatic relations in 1992 Australia s embassy in Turkey is accredited to Georgia Georgia has an embassy in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Melbourne In 2008 Australia provided 1 million in humanitarian aid to Georgia in the aftermath of the Russo Georgian War Australia has supported Georgia s sovereignty and territorial integrity in international fora and does not recognise the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia established with Russian support There is a small community of Georgian born people in Australia and modest trade relations 460 nbsp India 1941 See Australia India relations 461 nbsp Australian PM Albanese along with Indian PM Modi during the 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket Event India established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1941 six years before its independence The Australian Government subsequently supported the independence of India and Pakistan from the British Empire 462 India and Australia share close historical ties with both countries being former British colonies and members of the Commonwealth of Nations They also share close sporting ties with both countries sharing their passion for cricket 463 They also compete against each other in field hockey and in the Commonwealth Games Economic relations between the two nations is strong with India being Australia s fourth largest export partner and the eighth largest trading partner 464 In 1963 Australia provide defence aid to India in the face of Chinese action 465 In 2009 relations were strained between the two nations by attacks on Indian students termed Curry Bashings in Melbourne 466 Police denied any racial motivation but this was viewed differently by the Government of India leading to high level meetings with Australian officials 467 The persistent refusal of Australia to sell uranium to India due to the latter not being a signatory to the NPT has also hampered bilateral relations However this policy was reversed in 2011 468 On 4 June 2020 India and Australia signed an agreement to provide access to one another s military bases in order to help facilitate joint military exercises Known as the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement it allows each country to use the other s bases for the refuelling and maintenance of aircraft and naval vessels 469 The agreement was reached over a virtual summit between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison due to the COVID 19 pandemic 470 PM Albanese attended the 75 Years of Friendship through Cricket Event hosted by PM Modi in March 2023 to celebrate 75 years of strong diplomatic and cricketing ties between the two nations During this trip Albanese visited New Delhi to attend the Australia India Annual Leaders Summit During the visit he also led a trade delegation which included Trade Minister Don Farrell and Resources Minister Madeleine King after the implementation of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement ECTA between Australia and India on 29 December 2022 Albanese attended the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit in India nbsp Indonesia 17 March 1950 See Australia Indonesia relations Bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries are among their most important Australia was supportive of Indonesian independence after World War II particularly after giving de facto recognition to the Republican government of Indonesia on July 9 1947 471 and subsequently advocated for it in the United Nations Australia recognized the United States of Indonesia on December 27 1949 immediately following the completion that day of transfer of sovereignty by the Netherlands 472 Diplomatic relations were formally established on 17 March 1950 and the Australian consulate general in Jakarta was raised to an embassy 473 An Indonesian embassy was opened in Canberra in April 1950 Australia maintains an embassy in Jakarta see List of ambassadors of Australia to Indonesia and consulates general in Bali Makassar and Surabaya Indonesia maintains an embassy in Canberra see List of ambassadors of Indonesia to Australia consulates general in Melbourne Perth and Sydney and a consulate in Darwin The relationship has gone through some strained periods despite which both countries sought to avoid ruptures and Australia has maintained a significant development aid program since Indonesian independence Throughout the 1950s Australia did not recognize Indonesian claims to Western New Guinea though by the early 1960s it became reconciled to Indonesian administration and recognized the results of the controversial 1969 Act of Free Choice whereby Indonesia assumed full sovereignty over the territory While in subsequent decades the Australian government has taken care to reassure Indonesia with regard to its full support for Indonesian territorial integrity there continues to be an important constituency within Australia supporting Western New Guinea self determination and the switch of Australian policy on East Timor remains a cautionary example for Indonesian politicians Australia vigorously supported Malaysia during the Indonesia Malaysia confrontation during 1963 1966 contributing to the Commonwealth military forces supporting Malaysia Australia was suspicious of President Sukarno s flirtation with the Communist Party of Indonesia and relations stabilized and grew closer following President Suharto s rise to power in 1966 and adoption of a strong anti communist stance Australia and Indonesia share the world s longest maritime boundary and are naturally close maritime partners In 1971 and 1972 Australia and Indonesia agreed to maritime boundaries establishing the limits of their respective continental shelves The Whitlam government and Fraser government supported Indonesia s seizure of Portuguese Timor in 1975 and Australia granted de facto recognition in January 1978 and de jure recognition effectively by early 1979 when seabed boundary negotiations for the East Timor sector and Australian ministerial visits to the territory commenced This was not formally confirmed until the mid 1980s under the Hawke government 474 The Timor Gap Zone of Co operation Treaty was signed in December 1989 In late 1998 the Howard government advised Indonesia of a change in policy advocating for a referendum in East Timor in which independence was an option Public anger in Australia towards the Indonesian military and paramilitary violence in the province during the 1999 East Timorese crisis was followed by an Australian led international peace keeping force taking control of the territory in the lead up to formal independence Since the early 2000s the bilateral relationship has been on a stronger footing despite the 2013 Australia Indonesia spying scandal The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake prompted a significant humanitarian response from Australia including a A 1 billion aid package for Indonesia from the Australian federal government supplemented by over A 150 million in aid from state government and private contributions Australia s development partnership with Indonesia has continued and the annual budget in 2022 23 was 307 3 million An A 200 million Australia Indonesia Climate and Infrastructure Partnership was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following his visit to Jakarta in June 2022 475 The Australia Indonesia relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018 Regular high level dialogue is maintained through the Indonesia Australia Annual Leaders Meeting Foreign and Defence Ministers 2 2 Meeting Ministerial Council on Law and Security Economic Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting Economic Policy Dialogue and the Ministerial Energy Dialogue In February 2020 President Joko Widodo addressed the Australian Parliament during a state visit celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations 476 Security cooperation has been defined through a series of Australia Indonesia Security Agreements most significantly the Lombok Treaty signed in 2006 Australia and Indonesia work closely together to combat people smuggling and human trafficking including by co chairing the Bali Process on People Smuggling Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime The Indonesia Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement IA CEPA creates the framework to promote closer economic engagement between the two countries In 2022 Australia s goods and services exports to Indonesia totaled A 14 6 billion and imports totaled A 8 7 billion including A 2 7 billion in Australian tourism earnings In 2022 Australian investment in Indonesian stocks totaled just over A 3 billion and Indonesian investment in Australian stocks totaled over A 800 million 477 There are long standing family cultural sporting education and tourism connections between the two nations At the end of June 2021 89 480 Indonesian born people were living in Australia see Indonesian Australians 478 In 2022 almost 17 000 Indonesians were studying in Australia The two countries are among the top destinations for tourism for each 479 nbsp Iran 21 September 1968 On 29 June 1968 Australia announced that it had agreed with Iran to establish diplomatic relations 480 An Australian embassy was established in Tehran with the first Australian ambassador presenting credentials on 21 September 1968 481 Iran has had an embassy in Canberra since 1971 Governor General Paul Hasluck attended the Iranian monarchy s 2500th anniversary celebrations in October 1971 482 The then Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made a state visit to Australia in September 1974 to promote economic scientific and political cooperation between the two countries 483 This was reciprocated in March 1975 by the visit of Australian Governor General John Kerr 484 Diplomatic relations have been maintained without interruption through the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the replacement of the monarchy with an Islamic republic Two way trade has diminished in recent years but the value of Australia s two way goods and services trade with Iran was 319 million in the 2019 20 financial year Traditionally Iran has been one of Australia s leading wheat export destinations and other primary exports include wool and meat 485 Australia like most Western countries has expressed concerns about Iran s human rights record and its nuclear weapons program 486 Although not a signatory to the agreement Australia supports the objectives of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action It continues to implement certain sanctions in respect of Iran pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 2231 2015 and Australia s autonomous sanctions regime Migration from Iran to Australia has mainly occurred since the early 1980s and particularly in the 21st century The 2016 census recorded 58 112 Iran born people in Australia with most settled in New South Wales and Victoria 487 nbsp Iraq 2 December 1973 Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 December 1973 113 Australia and Iraq have had relations in various forms since 1938 but formal diplomatic relations were established in December 1973 with the accreditation of the Australian Ambassador in Beirut on a non resident basis Australia opened an Embassy in Baghdad in 1976 and Iraq established an Embassy in Canberra in 1995 The Australian embassy closed in 1991 just prior to the start of the 1991 Gulf War The Iraqi embassy closed in 2003 ahead of the US led invasion Both countries reopened their embassies in 2004 Iraq has a Consulate General in Sydney and the Kurdish Regional Government retains a representative office also in Sydney 488 The relationship during the Saddam Hussein era was complex particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s with Australian efforts to promote trading links competing sometimes diametrically see AWB oil for wheat scandal with support for diplomatic and military actions against the Iraqi government Australian participation in the 1991 Gulf War was followed by the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq as part of the United States led coalition Bilateral relations have improved significantly following the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 Total merchandise trade between Australia and Iraq in 2018 2019 was over 201 million Historically Australia s primary commercial interest in Iraq has been wheat which it has exported to Iraq for over 50 years 488 Between 2003 and 2014 Australia provided 382 million in development and humanitarian assistance to Iraq to re establish services to over 1 3 million people including over half a million refugees and internally displaced people This was in addition to 987 million in debt relief to support Iraq s transition to a stable and democratic nation after decades of war and dictatorship Australia has worked in partnership with the Government of Iraq to improve the management of water agriculture research rural development public sector governance education landmine clearance and basic services delivery Australia is contributing to capacity building missions with the Iraqi Army law enforcement personnel the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service and the NATO Training Mission headquarters in Iraq There is a sizeable Iraqi community in Australia According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Migration Australia data at 23 October 2017 67 355 people born in Iraq were living in Australia The resettlement of Iraqis who have fled their home country remains a priority within Australia s offshore Humanitarian Programme 489 In 2009 Nouri al Maliki became the first Iraqi prime minister to visit Australia He and then Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd signed a declaration to increase co operation and to strengthen trade and investment ties 490 In the post Saddam era there have been frequent high level visits of Australian Governors General and Prime Ministers to Iraq combined with visits to Australian Defence Force personnel stationed in the country nbsp Israel 11 May 1949 See Australia Israel relations Australia and Israel share a close relationship with significant people to people links and broad commercial engagement Australia was the first country to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution which ultimately led to the creation of Israel as a nation state 491 The Australian Government formally recognised Israel on 28 January 1949 492 The Australian Legation in Tel Aviv and the Israeli Legation in Canberra were both opened in that year 493 Diplomatic relations were raised to ambassadorial level in 1960 Australia is committed to a two state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state co exist in peace and security within internationally recognised borders In December 2018 Australia recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but this was reversed by the Albanese government in October 2022 494 495 The Australian Jewish community which numbers about 91 000 2016 census is an important element of Australia s relationship with Israel There are approximately 10 000 Israeli born people living in Australia and about 10 12 000 Australians living in Israel Australia and Israel have a growing bilateral economic relationship In 2019 20 two way goods and services trade amounted to approximately 1 3 billion In February 2017 Australia and Israel signed a Technological Innovation Cooperation Agreement Since 2017 Australia and Israel have expanded cooperation on national security defence and cyber security Israeli President Chaim Herzog made the first visit by a serving Israeli President to Australia in November 1986 This was followed in 2005 and 2020 by Presidents Moshe Katsav and Reuven Rivlin In January 1987 Prime Minister Bob Hawke made the first visit to Israel by a serving Australian Prime Minister This was followed by subsequent Prime Ministerial visits in 1995 2000 and 2017 In February 2017 Benjamin Netanyahu became the first incumbent Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia 496 nbsp Japan 14 September 1940 broken from 8 December 1941 to 28 April 1952 See Australia Japan relations Australia Japan relations are generally warm substantial and driven by mutual interests and have expanded beyond strong economic and commercial links to other spheres including culture tourism defence and scientific co operation Australia has an embassy in Tokyo and consulates general in Fukuoka Osaka and Sapporo Japan has an embassy in Canberra and consulates general in Brisbane Melbourne Perth Sydney and a consular office in Cairns nbsp Jordan 28 April 1975 Australia has an embassy in Amman established in 1979 and Jordan has an embassy in Canberra established in 1976 Australia and Jordan have long standing friendly relations reflected in diverse political cultural and economic links His Majesty King Hussein made the first visit by an Arab Head of State to Australia in March 1976 497 His Majesty King Abdullah visited in November 2016 Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove visited Jordan in October 2017 There have also been regular exchanges at senior ministerial level In 2019 20 two way goods and services trade was 285 million A 198 million in exports to Jordan and A 86 million in imports from Jordan 498 Since 2017 as part of Australia s response to the Syria crisis it has provided over A 105 million in support of refugees and their host communities in Jordan nbsp Kazakhstan 22 June 1992 Australia recognised Kazakhstan s independence on 26 December 1991 422 upon the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and established diplomatic relations the following year The Australian ambassador to Kazakhstan is accredited from Moscow Australia opened an embassy in Almaty in 1995 but this closed in 1999 due to resource constraints It has an honorary consulate in Almaty Kazakhstan is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Singapore It has a consulate general in Sydney opened in 2015 and honorary consulates in Melbourne and Perth There have been a number of high level visits between the two countries to sign co operation agreements Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko visited Australia in 1993 Governor General Bill Hayden visited Kazakhstan in 1993 President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Australia in 1996 The countries signed an agreement on economic and commercial cooperation which came into force on 2 June 2004 Kazakhstan is Australia s leading trading partner in Central Asia however the level of trade remains modest Two way goods and services trade in 2020 21 was worth A 35 2 million Australian investment in Kazakhstan totalled AUD131 million in 2021 499 nbsp Kuwait 1 July 1974 123 Diplomatic relations between Australia and Kuwait were established in 1974 with the accreditation of the Australian ambassador in Riyadh on a non resident basis Australia opened an embassy in Kuwait City in December 2004 Kuwait opened an embassy in Canberra in January 2002 and a Cultural Office in Canberra in 2008 Australia supported Kuwait s independence and territorial integrity with its contribution to the coalition force which in 1991 liberated Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation Kuwait s investments in Australia are estimated at over A 13 4 billion 2019 Two way trade amounted to A 664 million in 2019 Kuwait is a significant market for Australian exports of wheat and live sheep It is also an important market for Australian education and tourism services About 1 000 Australians reside in Kuwait employed mainly in the education banking oil and gas and security industries 500 In May 2016 the then Australian Governor General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Kuwait 501 span, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library, article , read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games. © Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved  |   www.wiki3.en-us.nina.az Rss Feed SiteMap Ping DMCA Contact Us HomePage Closed Call: