Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to travel to the United States to participate in the 2024 Quad Leaders’ Summit on Sept. 21 in Wilmington, Delaware.
The Summit will bring together the leaders of the four Quad nations: U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, and Albanese.
“Australia, the United States, India, and Japan share a vision for a region that is governed by accepted rules and norms, where all countries can cooperate, trade, and thrive,” Albanese said.
“The Quad is a diplomatic partnership of four countries committed to practical action in the Indo-Pacific to shape the kind of region in which we want to live—an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, where sovereignty is respected and competition is managed responsibly.”
The summit will center on regional issues and expanding the Quad’s positive, practical contributions to the Indo-Pacific.
These include strengthening clean energy supply chains, enhancing maritime security, supporting infrastructure development, improving regional health security, and building resilience through undersea cable cooperation.
“We will work together to shape the kind of region in which we want to live. We are always better off when we act together with our close friends and partners,” Albanese said.
This will be the fourth in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit, following previous efforts to deliver practical outcomes aligned with the region’s priorities.
The leaders will also look ahead to India hosting the next summit in 2025.
This marks Prime Minister Albanese’s third foreign visit in nine months. Earlier this year, he visited Papua New Guinea for Anzac Day and Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum. In 2023, he traveled to 18 countries, including two trips to India.
His international focus has drawn some criticism, with some accusing him of holding more press conferences abroad than at home.
However, his travels have been framed as crucial to strengthening diplomatic ties and addressing key regional issues, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
During his last visit to Beijing, Albanese mentioned that the two countries were poised to resume an annual leader-level dialogue that has been suspended for a number of years. Albanese has also invited the Chinese leader to visit Australia, following his visit in June of this year.
