Speech
25 May 2009
Africa Day
Excellencies
I warmly welcome my Tanzanian counterpart, the Honourable Bernard Membe, here this evening.
We are fortunate also to have the presence of two other groups of distinguished African visitors.
I welcome five senior African journalists, who are in Australia as part of an International Media Visit sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
I also welcome officials from seven African countries, who are in Canberra this week for a trade policy course being run by the Department.
Africa Day
Tonight we commemorate the founding, 46 years ago, of modern-day African unity, the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union.
30 of the then 32 independent African states gathered to sign the Organisation's founding charter in Addis Ababa.
Decolonisation was nearing its end. African leaders made a commitment to work together towards a brighter future for the whole of their continent.
A great deal has been accomplished by the peoples of Africa since then, often in the face of considerable challenges.
Australia congratulates the African Union and the countries of Africa for those achievements.
We celebrate African unity and honour an organisation that has dedicated itself to securing Africa's rightful place on the world stage, and to achieving a better life for all the peoples of Africa.
Australia and Africa: a new commitment
One year ago I attended my first Africa Day celebration here in Canberra with a strong sense that Australia had not always given Africa the priority it required and deserved.
As Foreign Minister, I was determined to ensure that Australia rectified that. Today, I am convinced that we're making good progress.
We've worked hard to broaden and deepen our engagement with Africa.
In January, it was my privilege to be the first Australian Foreign Minister to address a meeting of African Union Foreign Ministers in Addis Ababa and to then meet almost 30 of my African counterparts.
I told my colleague African Foreign Ministers that Australia wanted to be part of Africa's future in ways where our expertise and experience could make a unique and positive contribution.
I identified priority areas:
- to support Africa's efforts to promote economic growth and prosperity through investment and trade,
- to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, and to
- address peace and security challenges.
I spoke of the importance of trade liberalisation. I discussed the contribution Australia could make through cooperation on agriculture and mining, on maternal and child health, and on peacekeeping.
In the four short months since my visit to Addis Ababa, Australia has taken important steps to implement these objectives.
Strengthening Links
High-level contact is an important component of strengthened relations.
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon visited Africa in February to discuss African peace and security issues and future Australian defence cooperation.
The Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce, visited nine African countries in March and April, underlining Australia's commitment to heightened engagement.
It is a true pleasure to host Mr Membe in Australia. I look forward to a number of African colleagues visiting Australia in the coming weeks and months.
In recent months, Australia has moved to establish diplomatic relations with a number of African countries.
Late last year, Australia established diplomatic relations with Burkina Faso and Liberia.
On 7 May, signing ceremonies for the establishment of diplomatic relations with Niger and the Republic of the Congo were held in New York.
Australia now has diplomatic relations with 45 of the 53 countries in Africa, and we intend to add to this number shortly.
Formal diplomatic relations will provide new opportunities for achieving our bilateral trade and investment objectives, and in pursuing global solutions on such issues as trade and financial reform, climate change, transnational crime and international security.
Our people-to-people links are crucial in supporting our broad engagement.
The visit of the journalists here tonight is an important part of deepening our understanding of Australia in Africa, and vice versa.
It is my firm belief that students, including the 9000 or so Africans studying in Australia, can make the personal linkages and embody the mutual understanding that will be the foundation of a shared future.
Young Africans who have studied in Australia will return to Africa with not only a world class education, but also as friends of Australia, and ambassadors for Australia for life.
To promote economic growth and prosperity through investment and trade
Australia's trade with Africa has grown very steadily over the last decade, at annual average of over 8 per cent.
The growth of investment has been particularly impressive. Twenty-odd years ago, there were barely half a dozen African countries where Australian firms had substantial investments.Now we are proud to note that there are over 300 Australian companies active across Africa, with current and prospective investments estimated at US$20 billion.
This aspect of our engagement is vital, because it is trade and investment that will transform Africa.
Minerals and petroleum resource companies are currently the most prominent, many from my home state of Western Australia.
I met with some of those companies in Perth in February and outlined for them the Australian Government's plans to increase our engagement on the continent to match their own growing interests.
Australia once again had a leading presence at Africa's largest mining conference, Mining Indaba, in Cape Town this year.We now look forward to Africa DownUnder in Perth in September to expand our links in this sector.
The Australia Africa Business Council does important work in uniting business communities and promoting trade and investment on both sides of the Indian Ocean.
The Council will hold a major national conference in Queensland in early September, giving further impetus to economic relations and closer government-business dialogue.
We also share with Africa the goal of opening markets around the world to promote long-term prosperity.
Development Cooperation
Overall, we have increased our development assistance funding for Africa by over 40 per cent for the 2009-10 financial year. Africa will continue to benefit from the Australian Government's commitment to scale up our aid program to 0.5 per cent of GNI by 2015-16.
Agriculture
Like many African countries, Australia is a major agricultural exporter.We need to work together to bring down protectionist measures through the Doha Round of the World Trade Organisation negotiations.
The participation of African officials in DFAT's trade policy course is a practical expression of support for African countries' expansion of access to the global trading system.
Food security is central to Africa's ability to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and is an area in which Australia is well placed to make a unique contribution.
Our recently announced Food Security Through Rural Development initiative will provide $100 million over four years to support Africa's own efforts.
Australian government and research teams have recently visited several African countries to consult with governments and regional organisations on the development of Australia's program.
We will work with key partners including the African Union to support agricultural research, raise crop yields, develop social safety nets and enhance trade through regional market integration.
Education
Human resource development is a key to Africa's future. African countries have told us they place a high value on the education provided by Australian institutions.
Under Australia's new development assistance strategy for Africa we will support many more African students to develop their skills and realise their potential.
Within four years we will increase our scholarships program to comprise up to 1,000 long- and short-term scholarships across Africa, including in food security, natural resource management, maternal and child health, and water and sanitation.
We have already made a start.By January 2010, we will double the number of awards offered in Africa to 200, by opening access to several more countries.The program will continue to increase significantly in subsequent years.
Many African governments have specifically requested capacity-building assistance in the natural resources sector.In the latter half of this year, we will expand coverage of our existing program of extractive industry governance fellowships.
Australia will also help build Africa's human resource capacity through targeted technical assistance.Our Australia-Africa Partnerships facility will provide technical assistance to African countries, in areas of Australian expertise such as natural resource management, agriculture, trade policy and governance.
Maternal and child health
Maternal and child health will continue to be a priority for our development program, along with improved access to clean water and sanitation.
In January I visited the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, and saw for myself the impact specialised and dedicated assistance - such as that provided over so many years by Dr Catherine Hamlin - can have on the lives of women and families.
The Government is committed to increasing further the training of midwives, support for HIV/AIDS orphans, and support for treatment of obstetric fistula.
To address peace and security challenges
We recognise that peace and security are vital to Africa's sustained development.
Australia has long participated in peacekeeping operations in Africa. Australian personnel are currently serving in the UN Mission in Sudan and the UN-AU Mission in Darfur. Australia also makes a major financial contribution to UN missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, the Central African Republic and Chad.
In my discussions in Addis Ababa, we had the chance to reflect that peacekeeping has come to embrace a wide range of activities that include much more than just armed forces.The promotion of human security, confidence building and capacity building, the provision of electoral support, programs to strengthen the rule of law, and economic and social development, are all vital to the success of the mission.
As we know from the success of regional missions in East Timor and the Solomon Islands, peacekeeping is no longer the exclusive domain of the United Nations. Non-United Nations led peacekeeping operations are now commonly undertaken by multinational or regional groupings.
We welcome continuing efforts on the part of the African Union to join with the United Nations to help address conflicts in Africa; to provide regional solutions to regional problems.
My colleague Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon had very good meetings with the African Union during his visit to Addis Ababa in February.
As first steps, Australia plans to establish a Defence Attaché in Africa, and offer training in Australia to African defence personnel.
In addition, Australia will co-host with the African Union and the United Nations a peacekeeping symposium to allow for exchange of experience and expertise.
Australia wants to play its part to assist in addressing specific challenges faced by African countries.
We were pleased to provide an additional $2 million in April for humanitarian relief and support for the African Union Mission to Somalia, which is playing a key role in efforts to help bring a return to stable government in the country.
African countries have an increasingly important role in finding collective multilateral solutions to global issues such as trade reform, the global financial crisis, climate change, arms control, terrorism and regional conflicts.
Australia stands ready to assist African countries in the effort against terrorism and transnational crime.
My colleague, the Minister for Home Affairs, announced funding in the Budget of $17.2 million over four years to help strengthen African law enforcement agencies and legal institutions as part of a wider international program.
We will provide technical assistance to African countries to develop forensic investigation capacities, support anti-money laundering activities and strengthen legal frameworks and capacity.
Zimbabwe
Australia welcomes the voice of African states in the councils of international affairs.
The Southern African Development Community played a key role in bringing the power sharing agreement into effect in Zimbabwe.As guarantors of the agreement, SADC and the African Union have an ongoing role in ensuring that Zimbabwe remains on the path of reform.
While Zimbabwe's challenges remain daunting, some progress is being made. Australia is committed to assisting Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his Ministers to rebuild Zimbabwe.
I announced today a further $6 million in assistance for Zimbabwe, which will support agricultural recovery, help restore water and sanitation services, and assist ongoing programs to assist Zimbabwe's transition to democracy.
$2 million will help improve food security and support agricultural recovery, through the Protracted Relief Programme that Australia co-funds with the United Kingdom Department for International Development.By supporting the procurement of seeds and fertiliser for the coming agricultural season, Australia's assistance is helping to create the conditions for Zimbabwe's transition from emergency food aid to longer term agricultural sustainability.
$2 million will be for Australian NGOs to help restore water and sanitation services in a number of small towns and rural growth centres.We will give an additional $1 million to UNICEF for water and sanitation. Repair and rehabilitation of Zimbabwe's water and sanitation system are essential for Zimbabwe's return to economic growth, and also to help avert the risk of renewed outbreaks of cholera.
This is in addition to the $10 million I announced in March, in support of better health, water and sanitation.As part of this commitment, Australia provided $5 million through UNICEF to local councils for essential water treatment chemicals, and $5 million through the United Kingdom Department for International Development to help essential health workers return to work.
This assistance will bring Australia's aid for Zimbabwe in 2008-09 to $42 million.
These have been important steps.They have gone beyond humanitarian assistance, and represent longer term support for the restoration of essential services and the rebuilding of Zimbabwe.
We are under no illusions regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe.We know that notwithstanding recent progress, many problems remain.We also continue to look at what more we can do.
Water and sanitation and food security are likely to be continuing priorities.It will also be important to provide capacity building assistance to help restore essential services, and to implement reform.
Visit of Foreign Minister of Tanzania
As I said at the beginning, it is my great pleasure to welcome my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Tanzania, Mr Bernard Membe to Australia.
Mr Membe's visit is the first by a Tanzanian Foreign Minister to Australia since 1989.
The bilateral relationship between Tanzania and Australia goes back decades. Today we discussed how to strengthen that relationship, in practical ways, in our mutual interests.We have much in common.The Australian Government appreciates the strong voice of Mr Membe and his government on political and security issues in Africa, and his calls for democracy including in Zimbabwe.
Minister, it is an honour to welcome you on your first visit to Australia. I am confident that your time will be productive, and I look forward to making a return visit to Tanzania in the near future.
Conclusion
In celebrating Africa's achievements today we also look to the future and the greater role that Africa is destined to play on the world stage.
Australia is determined to work with Africa as a friend and partner over the coming years and decades.We are confident our joint efforts to deepen our engagement will be to the benefit of both our continents.
I congratulate you again on Africa Day.
Thank you.
[ends]