News Stories - 27 Sep 2007
Mr Downer’s visit to New York and Washington
The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, visited New York and Washington from 23-28 September to attend the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly, advance key Australian priorities on climate change, and take part in a series of bilateral meetings.
In both New York and Washington, Mr Downer called for new negotiations on a comprehensive post-2012 international arrangement by all major economies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. He said the negotiations should be launched at this year’s UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Bali in December.
Mr Downer highlighted the importance of the APEC Sydney Declaration in an address to the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Event on Climate Change on 24 September.
Mr Downer actively participated, with MalcolmTurnbull, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, in the first Major Economies Meeting (MEM) on Climate Change, hosted by the United States in Washington on 27-28 September.
Mr Downer highlighted the national actions that Australia is taking to address climate change, including the planned introduction of a national cap and trade emissions trading system and the new national Clean Energy Target.
The thirteen major economies taking part in the MEM represent over 90 per cent of world emissions and a collective agreement by these countries is vital if an effective and equitable post-2012 arrangement is to be forged.
Mr Downer used the opportunity of his bilateral meeting to consult key partners on developments in Burma he lent support to UN efforts on Burma. Mr Downer also stressed Australia’s long-term commitment to Afghanistan and that international military and other support to Afghanistan remains crucial.
Burma: Protests
Australia is deeply concerned about the actions of the Burmese regime aimed at suppressing pro-democracy protests. Australia has joined the international community and the United Nations in calling on the Burmese authorities to exercise restraint and to move towards democratic and economic reform as a matter of urgency.
The Government is taking firm action to demonstrate Australia’s profound concern at the Burmese regime’s actions to suppress the pro-reform protesters.
The Prime Minister has today (27 September) announced that the Government is moving urgently to implement targeted financial sanctions against regime figures.
The Government already has in place strict visa restrictions on travel to Australia by senior Burmese regime figures and their associates.
The Government already has a ban on defence exports to Burma.
Australia continues to support actively a strong role for the UN and encourages an early visit to Burma by UNSG Special Envoy Professor Gambari. We welcome the UNSC’s consideration of the crisis in Burma.
The Government has stressed that the use of violence and intimidation against the protestors is unacceptable to the international community, including Australia.
It has urged the Burmese authorities to heed the call by peaceful and courageous protestors for change.
We are also pursuing our concerns about Burma with a range of countries on a bilateral basis, including China, India and members of ASEAN.
News Stories - 20 Sep 07
Australia strengthens global action against landmines
The Australian Government has announced a major boost in efforts to improve the effectiveness of mine action programs.
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Greg Hunt, has announced a series of initiatives to support landmine clearance in Jordan and throughout the Asia-Pacific. Australia will provide $1.5 million to support the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD).
GICHD is an independent foundation which is recognised as a global leader in mine action. It works to eliminate landmines and reduce the humanitarian impacts of landmines and explosive remnants of war.
GICHD will utilise this funding to assist mine-affected countries in the Asia-Pacific region prioritise mine clearance to ensure the benefits are maximised, particularly for the poor and vulnerable.
Australia will also provide a further $1 million to the United Nations Development Programme to clear landmines along Jordan’s heavily mined border with Syria.
This will help 50,000 people in Jordan gain safe access to more than seven million square kilometres of land previously rendered useless by the risk of landmines.
Anti-personnel landmines and other explosive remnants of war are serious obstacles to sustainable development in over seventy countries, including many of the world’s poorest.
Landmines continue to have tragic effects many years after the armed conflict has ended, causing an estimated 20,000 casualties each year, mostly civilians and many of them children.
Australia is a leading contributor to international mine clearance efforts, survivor assistance, mine risk education and integrated mine actions programs that help survivors rebuild their livelihood.
Soon after signing the Mine Ban Convention in 1997, Australia committed $100 million to mine action over 10 years.
In July 2005 we committed a further $75 million over another five years.
Australian appointed to lead UN Democracy Fund
Mr Roland Rich has been appointed to the position of Executive Head of the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF).
Mr Rich will lead the work of UNDEF in supporting democratization throughout the world by financing projects that strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights, and ensure the participation of all groups in democratic processes.
Australia was among those countries that urged the establishment of UNDEF in the lead-up to the UN World Summit in 2005. Australia is UNDEF’s fifth largest donor and an inaugural member of the Advisory Board.
Australia is a strong supporter of democracy building around the world through our support for multilateral institutions such as UNDEF, the Centre for Democratic Institutions, and our bilateral aid programs.
In 2007-08, approximately 25 per cent of Australia’s Overseas Development Assistance will be spent on governance activities.
The appointment reflects well on Australia’s continuing multilateral focus on democracy and good governance issues.
It is also a credit to Mr Rich, who has over 30 years of experience in diplomacy, international law and democracy promotion.
Mr Rich was founding Director of the Australian National University’s Centre for Democratic Institutions, an Australian Government initiative, from 1998 to 2005. Mr Rich has been a research fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington DC and most recently served on the Australian Defence College staff.
He is expected to take up his appointment in early October 2007.
Australian economy ranked among the most competitive in the world
The Australian economy continues to score highly in global surveys of competitiveness.
The Australian economy has been ranked in the top 10 most resilient economies in the world, according to the results of the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007.
The World Competitiveness Yearbook, published annually, reports on the competitiveness of nations by ranking how a nation creates and sustains the competitiveness of enterprises.
The report also ranks Australia as the 12th most competitive economy in the world and the 7th most efficient business environment.
The report highlights Australia’s low unemployment rate, strong business climate (such as the independence of corporate boards and shareholder value) and sound institutional frameworks as key factors in its overall performance.
Similarly, in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2006-07, Australia is ranked in the top twenty most competitive economies in the world.
Australia gets particularly strong scores for the strength of its public institutions, which are characterised as open, transparent and efficient.
The report also notes that Australia is harnessing new technologies effectively for productivity gains.