Council on Australia Latin America Relations
COALAR Strategic Plan 2007-2010
The Council on Australia-Latin America Relations (COALAR) was created in March 2001 by the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer, and the then Minister for Trade, Mr Vaile, for an initial period of three years. Following a review in 2004, COALAR’s mandate was extended for a further three year period to 30 June 2007. In 2007 the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade decided that the Council would have on-going status with effect from 7 February 2007 and that the continuation of the Council would no longer be subject to periodic review.
COALAR
COALAR is a key element of the Government’s engagement with Latin America. Under the supervision of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Trade – exercised on a day to day basis by the Senior Executive of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – it provides advice on the employment of public resources to advance Australia’s business, cultural and diplomatic objectives. COALAR’s Executive Committee brings together representatives from business, government, and academia to ensure that our approach to Latin America benefits from a wide variety of experiences and insights, and to enhance links between business and government.
COALAR seeks to complement other government programs and private sector initiatives, leveraging off them where appropriate, and employing its resources to enhance their strategic effects. COALAR supports innovative activities that have clear outcomes, seeking to ensure the benefits of such activities are spread as widely as possible, with a special focus on assisting the initiation of activities that are likely to prove self-sustaining thereafter (or ‘seed-funding’). A key objective of COALAR is to build sustainable networks between Australia and Latin America across its areas of interest.
As a rule, COALAR would not support activities that directly benefit the commercial interests of a single enterprise, such as market research or narrow promotional activities, or where other sources of funding (including commercial funding) would be more appropriate and readily available. All activities supported by COALAR must be clearly seen to support COALAR’s objectives, and meet appropriate standards of probity, efficiency and value for money.
Mission Statement
COALAR’s objectives are:
- to influence corporate Australia and assist in developing government policies so as to enhance Australia’s economic, political and social relations with Latin America;
- to support Australia’s broader diplomatic and economic objectives in the Latin American region; and
- to foster a greater awareness of Australia in Latin America, and of Latin America in Australia.
To achieve these objectives, the members of COALAR will undertake a range of outreach activities – including personal contact with key decision makers in government and business. The Council will also support collaborative activities in four priority areas:
- Education;
- Business;
- Tourism; and
- Cultural promotion
In addition, during the 2007-2010 triennium, COALAR will investigate and support activities in new areas including agribusiness, youth leadership and sports cooperation.
Business Plan
The Council will develop an annual business plan of activities.
Activities
COALAR’s Strategic Plan 2007-2010 activities will include:
- support for Australian government activities in Latin America in collaboration with the Department of Education, Science and Training, Austrade, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (including Tourism Australia), the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (including the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics) the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and other federal and state government agencies as appropriate;
- recommendations to Ministers regarding policy measures which will, in the Council’s opinion, enhance Australia’s relations with Latin America
- support for opportunities which will emerge during and after the negotiation of an FTA with Chile to advance Australia’s broader interests with Chile and the region;
- continued collaboration with the Australia-Latin America Business Council and bilateral business chambers;
- support for projects showing Australia as a competitive and high-quality provider of education, and a source of relevant research and innovation for institutions in Latin America;
- activities which promote Australia as a competitive and high-quality tourist destination;
- support for public diplomacy and cultural activities in Latin America which showcase Australia as a diverse and dynamic society;
- raising the profile of Australia in Latin America and of Latin America in Australia, by facilitating exchanges by high level government officials, key business representatives, senior journalists, young professionals, academics and other opinion makers;
- liaison with Latin American diplomatic missions, communities and parliamentary friendship groups in Australia with a view to strengthening dialogue and co-operation on shared objectives; and
- leveraging from the APEC Summit in Sydney in September 2007 and APEC meetings in 2008 in Lima, Peru to strengthen Australia’s links with Latin America.
