International relations

31st Special Session of the Human Rights Council

The Australian Government collective actions updated August 2021.

The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, and Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, and the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Philippine Secretary of Trade and Industry, held the fifth Philippines-Australia Ministerial Meeting on 23 August 2021, amidst the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are deeply worried about Afghan women and girls, their rights to education, work and freedom of movement. We call on those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to guarantee their protection.

Given the deteriorating security situation, we support, are working to secure, and call on all parties to respect and facilitate, the safe and orderly departure of foreign nationals and Afghans who wish to leave the country.

One million additional Pfizer doses will begin arriving in Australia from tonight after a significant agreement was reached with the Republic of Poland.

As we enter the 75th year of India's independence, we continue to build ongoing collaboration between Australia and India under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including through the Australia-India Council (AIC) grants.

On 12 August, senior officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State met by videoconference to progress initiatives agreed by Quad leaders at their inaugural Summit in March and by Foreign Ministers at their third meeting in February.