Policy Updates

On July 2, 2024, the Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre announced its conference schedule for 2024.

The annual Papua New Guinea update is slated to be held on August 21-22 at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby. The 2024 theme is securing a stable environment for growth and development.

The center’s main 2024 Australasian AID Conference is to be held from December 3-5 at the Australian National University campus in Canberra. Paper submissions and panel proposals for the conference close on August 30, 2024.

On June 21, 2024, Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy announced a AUD5 million (US$3 million) commitment to assist veterinary capacity to identify and respond to animal disease outbreaks in regional countries.

The program would be delivered through a consortium headed by the University of Sydney.

Another program, totaling AUD11 million (US$7 million), is slated to be conducted in partnership with the Menzies School of Health Research, to improve health surveillance by countries in Southeast Asia, including monitoring AMR.

A further AUD16 million (US$11 million) was allocated to assist the development of better drugs for neglected tropical diseases. It will be be delivered through the Melbourne-based Medicines Development for Global Health, a not-for-profit bio-pharmaceutical company.

On June 21, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic announced a program of partnerships with CSIRO, totaling AUD24 million (US$16 million).

These would fund capacity building in identifying and responding to disease outbreaks in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Countries involved included Fiji, Laos, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness is slated to receive AUD16 million (US$11 million) to strengthen animal health laboratories in Southeast Asia as well as Pacific Island field diagnostic networks.

The initiative also includes assistance to improve capabilities in Southeast Asia to develop and manufacture biopharmaceuticals and vaccines.

On June 17, 2024, the second edition of the Australian Lowy Institute's 'aid map' documents showed overall ODA flows to Southeast Asia from all sources declined to US$26 billion in 2022, following a reduction in COVID-19 related support.

Some traditional donors, including Australia, showed a small decline in ODA transfers. Substantial reductions appeared in flows from China and the ADB.

Southeast Asia also saw a significant decline in climate-oriented development finance. Lowy indicated that climate finance had declined by 15% over the previous year.

The map covered financial flows by 107 development partners to 120,000 projects.

On June 12, 2024, Australian Minister for Youth Dr. Anne Aly announced that Australia would provide an additional AUD10 million (US$6 million) for humanitarian relief in Gaza to address urgent needs through the WFP.

Aly represented Australia at Jordan's Gaza conference in Amman, organized by Jordan, Egypt, and the UN.

Aly was born in Egypt and is the first Australian female federal parliamentarian of Islamic faith. Before entering Parliament, Aly worked as a lecturer, professor, and counter-terrorism expert.

On June 8, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Australian national Natasha Stott Despoja was re-elected to the 23-person UN committee monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Stott Despoja was previously Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls as well as an Australian senator. She was reappointed to the committee in her personal capacity, and will commence her second term on January 1, 2025.

On May 31, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced a new funding package, totaling AUD20 million (US$13 million), to provide humanitarian and energy assistance for Ukrainians.

Ukraine had requested a direct shipment of coal to bolster its energy sector, however, Australia preferred to provide more flexible assistance through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. The fund was jointly established by Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and the EU.

An additional AUD10 million (US$7 million) is slated to be provided for access to shelter, food, and water through the UNOCHA.

Funds will also be provided through the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This aimed to improve services for Ukrainian people with disabilities.

On May 21, 2024, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, while visiting Bangladesh, indicated that Australia will provide more funding to help Bangladesh align its labor laws and other areas that would assist Bangladesh’s proposed graduation from LDC status.

Australia is also slated to provide more assistance for colleges providing technical education training.

Wong also traveled to Cox’s Bazaar, a Rohingya refugee area. She noted Australia had provided AUD860 million (US$571 million) over six years to assist with the Rohingya crisis.

On May 20, 2024, the Crawford Fund launched the final program for its annual one-day Parliamentary seminar on agricultural research, titled Food and Nutrition Security: transformative partnerships, local leadership and co-design, to be held in Canberra on August 14, 2024.

Dr. Line Gordon, Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre and professor of sustainable food systems at Stockholm University, is a keynote speaker at the conference. Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR will also be speaking on transformational outcomes.

The conference is a hybrid event.

On May 20, 2024, Australia's DFAT reported that Australia provided a total of AUD619 million (US$400 million) as climate finance in FY2022/23, with nearly half provided to the Pacific Islands region and bilateral programs, including Papua New Guinea, about a quarter provided to Southeast and East Asia, and most remaining funding provided through global program contributions and as core funding for multilateral organizations.

62% of the funding was provided for adaptation, with only 22% for mitigation.

In 2023, Australia contributed AUD100 million (US$65 million) to set up a Pacific Resilience Facility and a further $50 million (US$32 million) was committed to the GCF.

The Australian Institute of International Affairs suggested that Australia should now support efforts in the G20 to have the Pacific Islands Forum added to the G20 guest list of permanent invitees. This would add a strong voice on climate issues affecting the Pacific island states, and would also strengthen calls for easier access to green global funds for the most vulnerable countries.