Welcome to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's monthly First Nations Trade and Investment Bulletin – November 2024 edition! If you want to share your thoughts or get further information on any of the below, please email firstnationstrade@dfat.gov.au.
Upcoming Grant and Program Opportunities
ASEAN-Australia Centre's inaugural Grants Program – now open
The ASEAN-Australia Centre has opened its inaugural Grants Program, worth $1.1 million. The Centre invites applications from Australian organisations across the business, education, cultural and community sectors to fund initiatives that strengthen Australia's connections with Southeast Asia.
We particularly welcome applications from First Nations organisations and initiatives with a focus on sharing Australian First Nations culture with the region.
Supporting recommendations from Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, applications are open across three priority areas – creative industry exchanges, cultural initiatives and research on Southeast Asia literacy.
The Centre will host two online information sessions for interested applicants:
- Friday 29 November at 2pm, register via Microsoft Teams.
- Thursday 5 December at 2pm, register Microsoft Teams.
Applications close on Friday 10 January 2025. For further information, visit GrantConnect
First Nations Information Session – Northeast Asia and World Expo 2025
The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) invites you to join its information session and survey for First Nations businesses on trade resources and services available through Austrade, and opportunities at the upcoming World Expo 2025 being held in Osaka, Japan.
This session is an excellent opportunity to help you explore the Northeast Asian market and is designed to equip founders and business owners with the knowledge and networks to scale their business into the region.
Australia will participate at the upcoming World Expo in Osaka, Japan from 13 April 2025 to 13 October 2025. The Australian pavilion will provide a platform to highlight Australia's strengths and capabilities across a range of priority sectors, including tourism, agriculture, premium foods, education, space, health, sciences, the arts and clean energy production.
The session was held on Tuesday 3 December 2024.
Expression of Interest – Participation in Foodex Japan 2025
A business only tradeshow, Foodex Japan attracted over 76,000 visitors this year. The next show, in March 2025, will mark its 50th anniversary and be again held at Japan's largest international exhibition centre, Tokyo Big Sight. One thousand domestic and 2,000 international companies are expected to exhibit in the East and South Halls over 85,000sqm.
Austrade will exhibit as part of the Australian National Pavilion, together with the New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia State Governments. Austrade's booth will be combined with a lamb promotion space resulting in a total footprint of 126sqm. A separate and private business meeting lounge for the exclusive use of Austrade booth participants for business matching will again be arranged in 2025.
Expressions of Interest via the Australian Trade and Investment Commission website close 6 December 2024.
What is coming up?
Review of Southeast Asian Free Trade Agreements
DFAT is in the process of finalising the terms of reference for a comprehensive review of our Southeast Asian Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The review will identify opportunities to modernise and upgrade our Southeast Asian FTAs, ensuring out FTAs remain fit for purpose. The review and recommendations will be informed by consultations with trade and investment exposed stakeholders and community groups from across Australia which is currently underway.
We want to hear from First Nations businesses and peak bodies with an interest in international trade, on how Australia's FTAs can support First Nations interests. The department will be inviting public submissions and opening a $1.75 million, two-year grants program to enable industry and community groups to identify opportunities to liberalise and facilitate trade and investment in Southeast Asia.
Look out for the grant guidelines on GrantConnect towards the end of 2024.
Recent News
Update: Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Aus-UAE CEPA)
Thank you for your engagement with DFAT on the Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Aus-UAE CEPA).
You may have heard that the Aus-UAE CEPA was signed by Senator the Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism and His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade on 6 November 2024 – read the Minister's media release: $678 million boost for Australian exports to UAE.
Information on the Aus-UAE CEPA including the key benefits, outcomes at a glance and full treaty text is now available on the DFAT website.
The Aus-UAE CEPA needs to go through a number of steps, consistent with Australia's treaty processes, prior to entry into force.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please email UAECEPA@dfat.gov.au.
Celebrating First Nations Exporters – First Nations Exporter Award 2025
At the recent Australian Export Awards, the Australian Government announced a new award category to start in 2025 to celebrate the outstanding international success of our First Nations businesses.
The First Nations Exporter Award will recognise the growing number of First Nations exporters and their economic, social and cultural impact.
While many successful First Nations businesses have been recognised over the years at the Export Awards, this new category, which has unanimous endorsement from the states and territories, will encourage more First Nations businesses to export their goods and services.
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy was quoted saying 'First Nations businesses are making their mark in a broad range of industries, both domestically and abroad, and I welcome the creation of the new First Nations Exporter of the Year Award to celebrate and showcase their success and ambitious economic goals. I'm delighted that in 2025 we will be turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurial spirit of First Nations exporters and the outstanding contribution they are making to international trade'.
For more information, read the full Ministerial announcement.
APEC Ministerial Dialogue on Indigenous Perspectives on Inclusive Growth and Economic Empowerment in Lima, Peru (13 November)
In the margins of APEC Economic Leaders' Week – and under Peru's host year theme of Empower, Include, Grow – APEC held a Ministerial Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples on Indigenous Perspectives on Inclusive Growth and Economic Empowerment in Lima, Peru on 13 November 2024.
This discussion between Ministers and Indigenous Peoples from across the APEC region highlighted economic challenges and opportunities facing Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs, such as facilitating access to capital, increasing knowledge sharing and capacity building, strengthening Indigenous representation in decision-making roles, providing access to high-speed internet, ensuring procurement policies reflect diversity, protecting Indigenous intellectual property and embedding Indigenous inclusion provisions in free trade agreements. The value of the Indigenous Peoples' Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA) as a groundbreaking Indigenous-led, government supported initiative was also highlighted in the Dialogue.
This is the second APEC Ministerial Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples, building on the success of the first held during APEC Economic Leaders' Week in San Francisco in 2023. Such high-level discussions recognise APEC's increasing body of work to support Indigenous trade and investment, including through a growing number of capacity-building projects, and help to inform APEC's future work program. USTR Katherine Tai, who hosted the first Dialogue, said this convening of Indigenous community leaders and trade ministers was the 'most exciting thing that has happened in the international trade arena' during her time as USTR.
Australia was represented at the Dialogue by the Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and by Australia's Indigenous representatives on the IPETCA Partnership Council, Ms Leah Armstrong of Core Insights Advisory Services, and Mr Damien Barnes of Yimba Legal.