Australia and Africa: a new commitment
Australia is committed to broadening and deepening its relations with Africa. In a speech to Executive Council of the African Union in Addis Ababa on 27 January 2011, Foreign Minster Rudd underlined Australia's desire to embrace a new engagement with Africa, highlighting the challenges and interests that the two continents shared.
During Mr Rudd's visit to Addis Ababa, he officially opened Australia's new Embassy, accredited to the African Union and Ethiopia on Australia Day, 26 January 2011.
In a speech at the University of Western Australia on 12 November 2010, Foreign Minister Rudd reiterated the government's four priority areas for engagement with Africa:
- Enhanced political and diplomatic engagement
- Supporting Africa's efforts to promote economic growth through investment and trade
- Supporting African countries in their efforts to make progress towards the Millennium Development Goals
- Addressing peace and security challenges in Africa
Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade inquiry into Australia's relationship with the countries of Africa
In 2009, the Australian Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade initiated an inquiry into Australia's relationship with Africa. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade made a submission to the inquiry, noting Australia's current relationships with and interests in Africa and opportunities for Australia to strengthen engagement with Africa.
The Department also provided a submission in response to a number of supplementary questions and questions on notice on 15 November 2010.
Supplementary submission responding to additional questions [PDF]
Trade and investment
Australia's trade with Africa has grown steadily over the last decade at an annual average rate of 6.1 per cent. Australia's total merchandise trade with Africa was valued at $5.8 billion in 2009-10.
Australia has significant and growing interests in Africa's resource sector with Australian companies having an estimated current and prospective investment of more than US$20 billion. As of January 2011, more than 200 Australian resource companies had nearly 600 projects spread across 42 African countries.
Nearly 13,000 African students are currently at Australian schools, colleges and universities, and many Australians live and work in Africa.
Development cooperation
Australia will provide $200.9 million in 2010-11 in development assistance to the continent, an increase of 23 per cent over the previous year. The main programs include: the Maternal and Child health Initiative; food security and agriculture; water and sanitation; and human resource development, including a substantial scholarship program. The Australian Government is committed to increasing its total Official Development Assistance to 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) by 2015–16 and to increasing the GNI share going to least developed countries to 0.15%.33 out of 48 of the world least developed countries are in Africa.
Australia's assistance to Africa is aimed at supporting progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, with a particular emphasis on maternal and child health, food security and water and sanitation. In September 2010, Foreign Minister Rudd announced that Australia would provide $140 million over 5 years for Maternal and Child Health to East Africa.
Australia is also undertaking a $100 million Africa Food Security Initiative to improve agricultural research and productivity; increasing market access for farmers and helping the most vulnerable people gain access to food. Australia is also working with remote rural communities and the urban poor in a number of countries to improve access to clean water and effective sanitation.
In 2010, Australia provided 250 scholarships, both short and long term, to 20 African countries. By 2013, Australia will offer up to 1,000 scholarships to African countries for short and long-term study at Australian institutions. Australia is also helping to build capacity in Africa through the Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility by matching Australian expertise with priority needs identified by African governments, such as mining management, agriculture, food security and public policy.
Peace and security
Visiting Ethiopia in February 2009, Australia's Defence Minister announced new Defence African engagement initiatives with Africa including a resident Defence Attaché, training in Australia for military officers nominated by the African Union, and a symposium on peacekeeping co-hosted by the African Union, the United Nations and Australia in Africa in 2010.
Australia has a long history of supporting United Nations-led peacekeeping operations in Africa and has committed personnel to the peacekeeping missions in Sudan. Australia's assessed share of contributions for UN peacekeeping operations is 1.933 per cent of the total (12th highest of all UN Members). Australia's annual share of the UN peacekeeping budget for 2009-10 was approximately A$134 million. There are six UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, the most of any continent.
Australia has participated in many peacekeeping missions in Africa. Australian personnel are currently serving in the UN Mission in Sudan. The Government has committed personnel to the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur.
Australia is providing $17.3 million to assist African countries to develop effective law and justice frameworks.
Assistance will include:
- technical assistance tailored to the needs and requirements of African partners
- training for forensic specialists to increase capabilities for transnational crime investigations
- financial intelligence units to develop operational capacity to detect the laundering of major crime proceeds, and
- legal workshops to strengthen legal frameworks and capacity.
African Union
Australia recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the African Union (AU) Commission which underlines our shared commitment to promote cooperation in a broad range of areas, including:
- Trade and investment
- Peace and security with humanitarian assistance
- Achievement of Millennium Development Goals
- Agriculture and food security
- Democracy, governance and human rights
- Climate change
The MOU was signed by Foreign Minister Rudd and Chairperson of AU Commission Dr Jean Ping, in New York on 23 September 2010.
Africa country pages
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Congo, Republic of the
- Congo, the Democratic Republic of the
- Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia, The
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Reunion
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe