A bipartisan group of federal MPs will lead an Australian delegation to multiple Pacific island nations, the first such visit since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Pacific Minister Pat Conroy and their opposition counterparts Simon Birmingham and Michael McCormack will visit Vanuatu, Micronesia and Palau this week.
The delegation will meet with Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, Micronesia’s President David W Panuelo and Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr.
Climate change, regional security and growing tensions within the Indo-Pacific are set to be high on the agenda during the talks.
A bipartisan delegation of federal MPs last visited Pacific nations in 2019.
Senator Wong said the delegation would also meet with traditional leaders and speak about their priorities.
“I am pleased we are delivering on the Albanese government’s promise to reinstate bipartisan parliamentary delegation visits, demonstrating Australia’s enduring commitment to strengthening our Pacific partnerships and addressing regional challenges,” she said.
The visit will also include a handover of the newly constructed Mala Base Wharf in Vanuatu, which was built as part of Australia’s pacific maritime security program.
Meetings will also be held with entrepreneurs from Vanuatu who took part in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.
Senator Birmingham said the visit would be an opportunity for Australia to show its commitment to the region.
“This is a welcome opportunity to again demonstrate that Australia’s engagement with our Pacific neighbours is of the highest priority and transcends domestic politics,” he said.
“With genuine challenges facing our region, I look forward to listening and learning from Pacific leaders and communities while also seeing some of the results of Australia’s partnerships with them.”
The visit to Micronesia will also mark 35 years of diplomatic relations with the Pacific nation. A visit to a school is also planned for the delegation to see Australian support for the education sector in action.
A visit to a solar project in Palau will also take place, along with the launch of a program that digitises clinical patient information and data.
