Australia's First Nations International Engagement

Australia's First Nations diplomacy is a powerful element of our international engagement. It supports Australia and our shared region's security and prosperity, strengthens foreign policy, delivers strategic, trade and multilateral results for all Australians, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

As Australians, we can all be proud to be the home of one of the oldest continuous civilisations on Earth, extending back over 65,000 years. It is a powerful platform to share and learn from and to deepen our international engagement, particularly in the Pacific. The connections between Australia's First Peoples and the peoples of the Pacific stretch back through time.  

The Indigenous Diplomacy Agenda released in 2021 is framed by the Australian Government's commitment to work in partnership with Indigenous Australians.

In March 2023, the inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People was appointed, followed by the December 2023 establishment of the Office for First Nations International Engagement.

These actions are consistent with the Commonwealth's commitment to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

International engagement

Australia's region is home to more than 270 million Indigenous Peoples who have a long and rich history of participating in trade and commerce. Indigenous Peoples play an integral role in the societies and economies of our region. Australia is a founding participant of the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA), a non-binding cooperation based arrangement to strengthen the economic empowerment of Indigenous Peoples in our region and beyond.

We are engaging in genuine partnership with Australia's First Nations business sector to progress the Government's commitment to an international trade and investment agenda that drives economic growth for all Australians, including First Nations Australians. The opportunities are there - First Nations goods exporters generated over $670 million in turnover in 2022-23, grew in number by 12% per year over the past five years.

Key highlights for the First Nations trade and investment agenda include:

• concluding negotiations on the historic Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge Treaty in the World Intellectual Property Organization in May 2024, establishing an international framework to protect genetic resources and traditional knowledges
• securing Australia's first dedicated chapter on First Nations trade in a bilateral free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

To learn about First Nations international engagement and the work benefitting First Nations businesses and communities visit First Nations businesses and communities.

Australia continues to work toward achieving the ends of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to enhance participation of Indigenous People in UN meetings. These efforts have contributed to the historic resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council to establish a distinct status for Indigenous Peoples' accreditation to HRC dialogues.

Australia contributes to the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations which supports Indigenous representatives to attend United Nations mechanisms and processes of most relevance to Indigenous interests.

First Nations International Fellowships and Partnerships Grants Program

DFAT launched the First Nations International Fellowships and Partnerships Grants Program on 8 October 2024 to provide practical support to First Nations Australians to engage in foreign affairs.

The Program comprises two complementary streams, one to enhance the number of First Nations Australians participating in international meetings (Fellowships), the second to enhance capacity of First Nations Australians to build sustainable partnerships across the Indo-Pacific (Partnerships).

International Development

Australia's International Development Policy, commits to being more effective and responsive to the priorities of our region by anchoring our approach in our strengths, including by embedding the perspectives of First Nations Australians in our development efforts.

Public Diplomacy

DFAT's efforts provide an international platform to share Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, cultures, expertise, and innovation with international audiences. DFAT's First Nations public diplomacy emphasises participation and exchange - connecting cultures and people and building our influence, while empowering First Nations Australians to participate in, and benefit from Australia's engagement with the world.

Employment

DFAT is committed to building a workplace that respects, values, elevates and includes First Nations people, and First Nations ways of being, knowing and doing through the DFAT Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Strategy – Embracing Diversity for Global Influence.

DFAT's fifth Reconciliation Action Plan builds upon the department's previous Stretch RAP and outlines goals, strategies, and actions to support reconciliation and create opportunities for First Nations peoples.