SPEECH
Good morning everyone. It is wonderful to see so many smiling faces from so many different countries at this very special event.
I would particularly like to acknowledge the diplomatic representatives here today, including the Ambassador of Liberia, the High Commissioner of Nigeria, the High Commissioner-designate of Malawi, the Deputy High Commissioners of Mauritius, Ghana and Uganda and the First Secretary from the Zambian High Commission. I would also like to acknowledge the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to South Africa: Claire Moore, Senator for Queensland; Helen Polley, Senator for Tasmania; Patrick Secker, MP for South Australia; and John Studholme, the delegation Secretary. One of the reasons we are holding this event as a breakfast is to enable the delegation to attend this important function. They just came back last night from a 3-day visit to Cape Town, including meetings with members of the South African Parliament, and they will be heading off to Zambia early this afternoon.
I would also like to acknowledge the Chief Director of Human Resource Development at the Department of Public Service and Administration, Mr Dick Bvuma; the AusAID, GRM and DFAT officials here today; as well as our special guests–the Australia Awards Alumni, including our Alumni Ambassadors who are fresh from what I understand has been an excellent leadership workshop.
It is a very exciting time to be the Australian High Commissioner to South Africa (as well as six other countries in southern Africa–Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland). Over the past six years, the Australian Government has significantly increased its engagement with Africa and we now have diplomatic relations with all 54 countries on the continent. There have been a range of high-level visits in both directions in region years, including at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth in 2011, as well as high-level contact at African Union summits and in the margins of UN meetings. I recently accompanied the President of Mozambique on his Guest of Government visit to Australia, together with his 75-member delegation.
Australia is currently serving a 2 year term on the UN Security Council. We are extremely grateful for the incredible support we received from Africa for our candidacy. Our term on the Security Council presents a range of new opportunities for dialogue and strengthened engagement in relation to peace and security issues. After all, approximately 70 per cent of the Security Council's agenda is related to Africa.
Australia's commercial engagement in Africa is also significant, particularly in the resource sector. Mining and resource companies from Australia have more projects in Africa than in any other region of the world, with total current and projected investment estimated to be close to US$50 billion.
Australia's development assistance to the continent is worth approximately $400 million and our scholarships programs are at the heart of this engagement. Australian Development Scholarships started back in the 1970s. Our African scholarships program has expanded tremendously in the last few years. In particular, the Australia Awards program has increased its reach from 20 countries in 2010 to 51 in 2013, with the number of Australia Awards scholarships to Africa increasing 10-fold to over 1,000 across 51 countries. There are now an estimated 4,000 alumni across Africa, which includes alumni present at this event today.
Our alumni are the essence of what we are trying to achieve through Australia Awards, because they represent an investment in the future of the continent. It is through specialised knowledge and skills, leadership and enthusiasm that our alumni are bringing about positive change and contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in their home countries. They are also key builders of increased cooperation between Australia and Africa by promoting Australia as an active partner in African development.
The Australian Government wants to remain engaged with our alumni, and to achieve this objective, Australia Awards has designed several activities to cater for them:
- small grants provided to carry out activities with a development purpose;
- continued professional development opportunities; and
- special initiatives such as the Alumni Ambassador initiative we are celebrating here today.
We encourage our alumni to stay connected and to keep us abreast of the changes and development contributions they are making in their home countries.
My message to the Alumni Ambassadors here today is that in recognition of your leadership capacity, your personal standing within your community and the role you are playing in your country's development, you have been selected to serve as Australia Awards Alumni Ambassadors. I challenge you to be key drivers of Australia Awards promotion; to be resourceful and committed mentors to Awardees from your home country; and to build as many bridges as you can between your home country and Australia. I commend you for taking on this important role and I look forward to hearing of your efforts and your undoubted success.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in closing these brief remarks, I would just like to say that I am honoured to be celebrating the launch of the Australia Awards Ambassador initiative. Thank you all for sharing this special occasion with us and my warmest congratulations again to all of our Alumni Ambassadors.