Middle East and Africa

Programs 1.1, 1.9 and 1.10

Overview

Most of the Middle East and North Africa remains beset by security challenges. The advance of the terrorist group Daesh in Iraq and Syria poses a significant threat to regional and international security. Conflict in Syria, Libya and Yemen also had broader regional security and humanitarian implications.

In 2014, the department established an Iraq Taskforce which has helped develop Australia’s policy response to the Daesh threat and facilitated Australia’s military contribution to the global coalition to counter Daesh. The department provided $65 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, as well as Gaza.

The department managed $332.1 million in development assistance to Africa and the Middle East in 2014–15. Of this, $222.9 million supported assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Aid investments boosted agricultural productivity and markets, improved the management of the extractives sector and its revenues, and built the skills and knowledge of African men and women to contribute to Africa’s development. Women’s empowerment and social inclusion were central to our work.

We actively supported P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and United States) efforts to negotiate a settlement of the Iran nuclear issue. The department organised the Foreign Minister’s visit to Iran, the first by an Australian foreign minister in 12 years, to advance a range of important bilateral and international interests.

Australia’s trade and investment relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continued to expand. The department pursued opportunities to expand commercial ties, including through advocacy of resumption of GCC–Australia free trade agreement negotiations.

African economies continued to perform steadily overall. We supported commercial opportunities for Australia in extractives, infrastructure, agribusiness and education. However, peace and security challenges in parts of Africa continue to undermine stability and good governance.

Middle East and North Africa

The department focused on Australia’s efforts to address the threat from Daesh, including participation in the global counter-Daesh coalition. The department worked with the Government of Iraq to facilitate the deployment of Australian Defence Force personnel as part of coalition efforts to provide advice, assistance and training to the Iraqi Security Forces. We also worked closely with the Department of Defence to support high-level discussions on coalition efforts and strategy in Iraq. This included visits to Iraq by the Prime Minister, the Foreign and Defence Ministers and senior officials, and participation in international coalition meetings.

The humanitarian situation in Iraq deteriorated significantly over 2014–15 as a consequence of Daesh’s advance. The department has provided a total of $30 million in humanitarian assistance for Iraq since June 2014, through UN agencies and an Australian NGO, to deliver food, medical assistance, shelter and protection.

We continued to help meet the humanitarian needs of people affected by the crisis in Syria, now in its fifth year. We provided $25 million which helped deliver food, medical assistance, shelter and protection. Australia has now provided $155.8 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the crisis since 2011. The department’s Office of Development Effectiveness conducted an independent evaluation in 2014, which found that Australia’s humanitarian response had been relevant and appropriate.

During Australia’s term on the UN Security Council (UNSC), the department played a leading role in pressing for greater humanitarian access in Syria. Our mission in New York co-authored two resolutions (2165 and 2191) to enable UN agencies to deliver cross-border humanitarian assistance into Syria. The department continues to work with Australia’s diplomatic partners to encourage a political solution to the Syrian conflict.

The department also worked in the Security Council to support international efforts to promote political dialogue in Libya and Yemen. We encouraged Egypt to demonstrate respect for human rights, protect minority groups and adopt an inclusive approach to governance.

Iran’s nuclear program remains a significant issue on the international security agenda. The department offered strong support to the negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran towards a comprehensive agreement to resolve international concerns. We urged Iran to engage constructively in the negotiations, including by complying with relevant UNSC resolutions and cooperating fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Australia worked as chair of the Iran Sanctions Committee during its UNSC term. The department facilitated Ms Bishop’s visit to Iran in April 2015, during which she secured agreement to start a dialogue on consular issues, including on combating the shared problem of people smuggling, and discussed Iraq and other regional security issues.

The department sought to expand the bilateral relationship with Israel, including through increased engagement with business and Australia-linked community groups, and advocacy of Australian commercial interests. We led the crisis management response during the Israel–Gaza conflict in July and August 2014, including supporting Australians seeking an assisted departure from the Gaza Strip. The department actively contributed to Middle East consultations in the Security Council and encouraged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to exercise restraint and take up meaningful negotiations toward a two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister, Riad al-Malki, visited Australia in April 2015. We responded to humanitarian needs in Gaza with $20.7 million in emergency, early recovery and reconstruction assistance.

The department managed total Australian aid to the Palestinian Territories of $69.2 million. This aid helped to build the capacity of Palestinian institutions and individuals to take on the responsibilities of a future Palestinian state, maintained health and education services and kept disadvantaged Palestinians out of poverty through social protection and small business opportunities.

The aid enabled at least 15,000 Palestinian children to attend school, with girls making up half of all enrolments. Our civil society program helped poor farmers respond to market demand and generate nearly $14 million of additional agricultural produce. Successful campaigns for women’s inheritance rights and ability to register in the Chamber of Commerce contributed to improved conditions for women’s economic participation. Through UNICEF, we improved water and sanitation facilities in over 200 schools in poor areas.

The department undertook a comprehensive program of advocacy with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members to restart FTA negotiations. We worked with Austrade to convene the inaugural Australia–GCC Trade and Investment Forum in Melbourne, in October 2014, to highlight the potential for greater commercial linkages. A key element was the visit to the Gulf by the Trade and Investment Minister, in April 2015, for discussions with his counterparts to build support for the FTA. He also participated in the trade and investment promotional event Australia Unlimited Middle East and North Africa. The department, in cooperation with Austrade, supported an accompanying Australian business delegation. Mr Robb’s visit was part of a broader program of high-level visits to the Gulf States facilitated by the department, including by the Governor-General, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Treasurer.

The department welcomed the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister as a Guest of Government in February 2015 to advance regional security, trade and investment. We worked with Austrade to facilitate the visit by the Moroccan Minister for Housing and Urban Planning to explore opportunities for greater cooperation in the green building sector.

We continued efforts to boost Australia’s attractiveness as a destination for GCC students, including through outreach to alumni of Australian universities and through the Trade and Investment Minister’s visit to the region and participation at the annual International Exhibition and Conference on Higher Education in Riyadh.

Cultural, commercial and tourism links with the Middle East are growing rapidly, underpinned by the 154 return flights between Australia and the Gulf each week. The Council for Australian–Arab Relations (CAAR) launched three flagship programs that focus on people-to-people links. The department worked with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to conclude an MOU with Israel for work and holiday visa arrangements in October 2014.

Sub-Saharan Africa

The department’s engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa focused on strengthening relationships with key bilateral partners and Indian Ocean rim states through support for high-level visits and representation at two African Union summits in January and June 2015.

The department supported the Foreign Minister’s visit to South Africa, Mauritius and Madagascar in September 2014, to promote Australia’s engagement with the Indian Ocean region on economic, trade and maritime issues. Ms Bishop met with prominent business leaders in South Africa on the B20 business forum agenda of driving growth and employment opportunities. The visit also advanced Australia’s regional security interests in combatting piracy and galvanising support for regional cooperation through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Our posts supported the Australian parliamentary delegation visit to Zimbabwe, South Africa and Seychelles in August 2014.

Australia hosted President Jacob Zuma of South Africa; the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; President Aziz of Mauritania, Chair of the African Union; and President Macky Sall of Senegal, Chair of NEPAD—the New Partnership for Africa’s Development—for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane. Australia and South Africa worked closely together in 2014 and 2015 as co-chairs of the G20 Development Working Group.

The department promoted trade and investment partnerships at the Africa Down Under (ADU) mining conference in Perth in September 2014. Together with Austrade, we helped secure the attendance at the conference of 16 African ministers. ADU remains a focal point in Australia–Africa relations, strengthening business networks and people-to-people links in the extractives sector. We also promoted Australian extractive industry businesses and investment at the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town.

Australia’s total two-way trade in goods and services with Africa of approximately $10 billion in 2014 is indicative of the potential of African economies, as is the 10 per cent growth in investment in Australia from South Africa in 2014. Our extractives programs strengthened mining governance, mining codes and resource revenue taxation, through knowledge exchange, capacity building and skills gap training.

In partnership with the Australian Industry Skills Council, the department began work to support Mozambique and Zambia’s efforts to improve skills development in the mining, oil and gas sectors. We supported a ‘women in mining’ study tour that included a gender forum co-hosted by the South African Ministry of Mineral Resources.

The department was an active contributor to UNSC debates on South Sudan, Central African Republic, Somalia, Mali, Liberia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We led debates on the global response to the Ebola crisis and co-sponsored a resolution that led to the creation of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), the first UN peacekeeping operation designed to focus on a disease outbreak. Australia also co-sponsored a landmark UNSC resolution which authorised states to interdict ships off the coast of Somalia suspected of carrying illicit weapons or charcoal—a major source of income for al-Shabaab.

In 2014–15, Australia contributed $79.8 million in humanitarian funding to crises in Africa. This support included $35.25 million for the Ebola response; $9 million for Somalia through the Common Humanitarian Fund and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); $3 million for Democratic Republic of Congo through the ICRC for emergency medical care, food, water and support for victims of sexual violence; $2 million for Central African Republic through the ICRC for emergency medical care, food, water and essential household items for people affected by the conflict; and $6.5 million to other African countries. In northern Kenya, Australia supported the Hunger Safety Net Program to provide cash transfers to households suffering extreme poverty. We continued providing humanitarian support to South Sudan through a contribution of $19.45 million, including $5 million to the South Sudan Regional Refugee appeal. We made representations to the South Sudanese Government and opposition in support of a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

The department offered over 600 Australia Awards. The Australia Awards program to Africa enables the next generation of African leaders to acquire skills and knowledge in areas critical for Africa’s development—public policy, extractives governance and agricultural productivity. The program also focuses on enabling women’s leadership and strategic management opportunities.

To support Africa’s agricultural development, the department worked to improve research and facilitate the adoption of innovative technology and to boost private sector activity through improving agricultural markets. We delivered agricultural investments through the CSIRO and supported the Biosciences east and central Africa (BECA) initiative and the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF). The AECF supports commercial ideas in agribusiness, rural financial services and along the value chain from rural areas to local and international markets. Approximately 172,000 people have benefitted from our contribution to the AECF in Zimbabwe.

Through a partnership approach, the Australia Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES) funds Australian NGOs and their Africa-based partners to deliver projects in nine east African countries as well as Ghana and South Africa.

The department supported visits by the Ambassador for Women and Girls to partners working to help vulnerable women and children and improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of women in Madagascar and Mauritius.

In Australia, the department worked closely with African diplomatic missions and the diaspora. The Foreign Minister delivered the keynote address at the Africa Day celebration in May 2015, hosted by the Botswana High Commission. We contributed to debate on African issues through engagement with policy institutes and think tanks such as the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the Australia Africa Business Council and the Australia Africa Universities Network. People-to-people links were strengthened through the deployment of 103 Australian volunteers across 12 African countries as of March 2015.

In recognition and remembrance of the service of two outstanding Australian heads of mission who died in 2014, Ms Bishop presented the inaugural Graeme Wilson Leadership Award to the top South African Australia Awards candidate, Ms Mapaseka Prudence Chuwa, and the inaugural Sandra Vegting Women’s Leadership Award to Ms Bheema Ausgur-Boyroo from Mauritius.

Outlook

Efforts to counter Daesh will be complicated by the political and sectarian challenges in Iraq, Syria and across the region. The department will continue to work closely with other Australian government agencies and foreign partners to address extremism in the region and beyond. We will continue to monitor and respond effectively to humanitarian emergencies in the Middle East and Africa, acting with international and multilateral partners.

Increasing investment from the Gulf States and boosting trade with the region remain priorities for the department. We will continue to advocate resumption of FTA negotiations with the GCC, while also promoting expanded bilateral trade and investment cooperation. In 2016, the department will open an embassy in Doha which presents opportunities for deepening engagement with Qatar in a number of sectors.

In line with the Government’s consolidation agenda and the end of Australia’s term on the UN Security Council, the department’s engagement in Africa will become more targeted. We will place more emphasis on engagement with major economic and political partners, expanding trade and investment in key markets and enhancing security cooperation. The department will continue to deliver a targeted and effective aid program, predominately through Australia Awards, humanitarian assistance and global programs, to promote and support Australian development and economic diplomacy objectives.