This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu, the Honourable Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau Ma’aukora, to Australia.
This is the first time the prime ministers have met since Prime Minister Kalsakau's election last November, and the first time a Vanuatu prime minister has made an official visit to Australia since 2018.
Australia and Vanuatu are strong partners based on a shared commitment to a prosperous, peaceful, resilient Pacific region. Our nations are long-standing friends with diplomatic ties stretching back more than four decades.
Bilateral discussions focused on ways to strengthen cooperation in priority areas including trade, security, infrastructure, people-to-people links and climate.
The prime ministers welcomed signing of our bilateral security agreement in December 2022, which reflected Vanuatu and Australia’s commitment to working together as members of the Pacific family to address our shared security challenges.
Additionally, the prime ministers discussed Australia’s support for Vanuatu’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic and recent natural disasters. Prime Minister Kalsakau welcomed Prime Minister Albanese’s advice that Australia would provide a new tranche of economic support to boost priority sectors of Vanuatu’s economy, including aviation, trade and PACER Plus implementation, agriculture, infrastructure, cyber security and banking.
Prime Minister Albanese commended Vanuatu’s leadership on driving global action on climate change and highlighted our countries' shared commitment to ambitious climate action and to working together to advance Pacific priorities in international climate forums. Prime Minister Kalsakau endorsed Australia’s bid to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific.
The prime ministers have issued a full joint statement.
