Brunei Darussalam
Bilateral relations
Australia and Brunei Darussalam enjoy a warm and longstanding relationship focused on regional cooperation and bilateral defence, trade and education links.
Australia has maintained a diplomatic presence in Brunei since it resumed its full independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. However, our historical links stretch back to the Second World War when, in 1945, Australian forces landed at Muara Beach as part of the Allied campaign to liberate Borneo. Australia and Brunei have erected a permanent memorial at Muara Beach to mark the 1945 landings.
In March 2024 Leaders met in the margins of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024 where they released a Joint Statement to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Brunei Darussalam and Australia. Australia congratulated Brunei Darussalam for 40 years of the country's full resumption of independence celebrated in February 2024.
In October 2022, Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited Brunei Darussalam to discuss a range of shared interests including climate change and security.
In June 2023, His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah visited Australia on a Guest of Government visit. Sultan Bolkiah and Prime Minister Albanese agreed to elevate the relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership (CP). The CP is underpinned by three pillars of cooperation: Economic, Climate Change and Food Security; Defence, Security and Maritime; and Social-Cultural.
Australia and Brunei convene annual Senior Officials Talks to discuss and advance our respective and shared bilateral priorities, including those set out in the CP. The most recent Senior Officials Talks were held in Canberra on 27 September 2024.
Trade and investment
Australia and Brunei share a common interest in a free and open trading system. We are both party to the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). We are also both signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and founding members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). Australia was Brunei's largest export market in 2023.
In March 2024, Prime Minister Albanese announced the appointment of Australian business leader Dr Nur Rahman as a Business Champion to advance Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 with Brunei. Dr Rahman visited Brunei in May 2024 and held meetings with senior business and government leaders to promote two-way trade and investment.
Defence and security
Australia has long-standing defence and security links with Brunei. We engage with Brunei through strategic dialogue and training, bilateral military exercises, maritime domain awareness activities, and cooperation through ASEAN frameworks. A Defence Adviser position was established in 2021, and reflects the deepening engagement on security-related issues between Australia and Brunei.
Australia and Brunei cooperate closely on security threats facing the region and there are close links between Australian and Bruneian police, security, counter-terrorism and immigration authorities.
In 1999, Australia and Brunei signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Defence Activities, which recognises our common interest in the peace and stability of the region. In 2005, Australia and Brunei signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism, providing for cooperation on customs, finance, immigration, intelligence, law enforcement, security and transport.
In August 2023, the former Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, visited Brunei and met with His Majesty the Sultan and other leaders to further advance defence cooperation. In May 2024, former Chief of the Australian Air Force and now Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, visited Brunei for an extensive program of activities to deepen relationships and discuss defence capability and regional stability.
People connections
Australia has a strong education relationship with Brunei. More than 12,000 Bruneian students have studied in Australia, including ministers, senior governments officials and successful business people. Brunei also participates in the New Colombo Plan as a host country.