A First Nations approach to foreign policy facilitates leadership and participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia's international engagement, recognising the benefits to all Australians and offering a powerful addition to our levers of statecraft. Australia's First Peoples have a crucial role to play in projecting Australia's modern diversity and rich heritage to the world. The inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People was appointed in April 2023, followed by the December 2023 establishment of the Office for First Nations International Engagement in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This is the first time the Australian Government has had dedicated First Nations representation in our international engagement – elevating the voices of First Nations People.
This Guidance note provides advice on embedding First Nations Australian perspectives into Australia's international development programming, underpinned by the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). It provides practical advice for engagement and program design and includes case studies. Embedding First Nations Australian perspectives into the international development program is an emerging field and reinforces Australia's approach to embedding First Nations Australian perspectives into our foreign policy.
This Guidance Note should be read alongside the:
- International Development Policy
- International Development Programming Guide
- Australia’s development policy - performance and delivery framework
- Design and Monitoring and Evaluation & Learning Standards
- DFAT Guidance Note: Locally Led Development
- Reaching indigenous people in the Australian aid program: guidance note
- Environmental and Social Safeguard Policy.