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AFRICA DOWNUNDER 2007
REMARKS BY THE AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER, PRETORIA
MR PHILIP GREEN O.A.M.
“AUSTRALIA AND AFRICA: THE BROADER PICTURE”
6 SEPTEMBER 2007
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE BACK AT AFRICA DOWNUNDER THIS YEAR. THIS CONFERENCE HAS NOW BECOME A REGULAR FIXTURE IN MY DIARY – AND I HAVE TO SAY IT IS GREAT TO HAVE SUCH A GOOD REASON TO NOT ONLY BE BACK IN AUSTRALIA, BUT ALSO TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA’S NATURAL RESOURCES.
AFRICA DOWNUNDER CONTINUES TO GROW AND THRIVE, IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIAN INVOLVEMENT IN THE MINING SECTOR IN AFRICA. I SHOULD CONGRATULATE PAYDIRT, AND PARTICULARLY BILL REPARD, FOR THEIR CONTINUING SUCCESS IN MANAGING THIS KEY EVENT IN THE AUSTRALIA-AFRICA CALENDAR. BILL IS ONE OF THOSE WHO TRULY BINDS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HELPS ENSURE THAT ALL OF US BEHIND THE AUSTRALIAN MINING EFFORT IN AFRICA ARE INFORMED AND NETWORKED.
NOT ONLY DOES THIS CONFERENCE CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN NUMBERS, BUT ITS SUCCESS IN ATTRACTING HIGH LEVEL ATTENDANCE FROM AFRICA IS NOTABLE. MINISTERS OR THEIR CHIEF OFFICIALS FROM SEVEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARE HERE WITH US THIS WEEK.
I WOULD SPECIFICALLY LIKE TO NOTE, AND WELCOME, THE PRESENCE OF:
• THE HONORABLE KALOMBO MWANSA, THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINERAL DEVELOMENT FROM ZAMBIA
• THE HONORABLE MOHAMED EL HACEN, MINISTER OF OIL AND MINING FROM MAURITANIA, TOGETHER WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HIS MINISTRY
• THE HONORABLE MOISE KATUMBI, GOVERNOR OF KATANGA IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• ADVOCATGE SANDILE NOGXINA, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY FROM SOUTH AFRICA
• DR AKOLANG TOMBALE, PERMANENT SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF MINERALS, ENERGY AND WATER AFFAIRS OF BOTSWANA
• AND ABRAHAM LILENDE, THE CHIEF GEOLOGIST FROM THE NAMIBIAN MINISTRY OF MINES AND ENERGY.
BY BRINGING TOGETHER AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS AND AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES, THIS CONFERENCE IS PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT THE EXPANDING AUSTRALIAN MINING INVOLVEMENT IN AFRICA, AND THE SKILLS OF AUSTRALIAN MINERS, THEIR FINANCIAL BACKERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.
A FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT
AS A MORE THAN CASUAL OBSERVER OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND AFRICA OVER NOW MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS – I HAVE SERVED IN FOUR AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN THAT TIME, SPENDING MORE THAN A THIRD OF MY FOREIGN SERVICE CAREER ON THE CONTINENT … WITH THAT BACKGROUND, I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT THE INVOLVEMENT OF AUSTRALIAN MINERS OVER THE LAST DECADE IS ONE OF THE MORE NOTABLE FEATURES OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO CONTINENTS.
IN FACT, MY VIEW IS THAT THE GROWTH IN AUSTRALIAN MINING INTERESTS IN AFRICA IS NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT DYNAMIC IN AUSTRALIA’S RELATIONS WITH THE CONTINENT.
WHEN I BEGAN MY CAREER AS AN AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMAT IN AFRICA TWENTY-SOME YEARS AGO, AUSTRALIA’S RELATIONS WITH THE CONTINENT WERE CHARACTERISED BY POLITICAL ISSUES, NOTABLY THE STRUGGLE AGAINST APARTHEID. BUSINESS RELATIONS WERE SPARSE, TO SAY THE LEAST. YOU WOULD HAVE STRUGGLED TO FIND HALF A DOZEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHERE AUSTRALIAN FIRMS HAD A SUBSTANTIAL PRESENCE.
SINCE THEN, MINING INVESTMENT HAS TRANSFORMED THE COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP. NOW YOU WOULD STRUGGLE TO FIND HALF A DOZEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHERE THERE IS NO SUBSTANTIAL AUSTRALIAN COMMERCIAL PRESENCE.
DRIVEN BY AUSTRALIA’S EXPERTISE, AUSTRALIAN FIRMS ARE NOW DEEPLY INVOLVED IN MINING OPERATIONS ACROSS AFRICA, FROM GOLD IN THE CONGO, TO PLATINUM IN SOUTH AFRICA, TO MINERAL SANDS IN SENEGAL, TO COPPER IN ZAMBIA.
THIS INCREASE IN AUSTRALIAN MINING INVOLVEMENT IN AFRICA WAS SUCH THAT WE UNDERTOOK A QUICK SURVEY OF THE EXTENT OF IT IN THE LAST YEAR, APPROACHING EACH OF THE MAJOR AUSTRALIAN MINING HOUSES OPERATING IN AFRICA AND ASKING WHAT THE EXTENT OF THEIR INVESTMENT WAS.
THE RESULT OF THIS SURVEY WAS THE CONCLUSION THAT AUSTRALIA’S COMMERCIAL PRESENCE IN THE MINING SECTOR IN AFRICA IS ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH AROUND FIFTEEN BILLION U.S. DOLLARS. THIS MASSIVE FIGURE ILLUSTRATES THE SCALE OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN AFRICA.
AFRICA: THE FASTEST GROWING REGION FOR AUSTRALIA’S TRADE
TRADE TYPICALLY FOLLOWS INVESTMENT. AUSTRALIAN INVESTORS TEND TO CONTRACT THE SERVICES OF AUSTRALIAN PROVIDERS, PURCHASE AUSTRALIAN MADE OR SOURCED EQUIPMENT, AND HIRE AUSTRALIAN LABOUR AT LEAST IN SOME KEY POSITIONS. THAT’S CLEARLY HAPPENING IN THE RESOURCE SECTOR IN AFRICA.
AS A RESULT, AUSTRALIA’S TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONSHIP WITH AFRICA IS GROWING FAST.
IN FACT, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE GROWTH IN AUSTRALIA’S TRADE WITH AFRICA HAS OUTPACED ITS GROWTH WITH ANY OTHER REGION IN THE WORLD. SINCE 2001, OUR TRADE WITH AFRICA HAS GROWN BY AN AVERAGE OF TEN AND A HALF PER CENT EACH YEAR. THAT COMPARES WITH NINE PER CENT GROWTH IN OUR TRADE WITH ASIA, SIX PER CENT WITH EUROPE, AND LESS FOR OTHER CONTINENTS.
CUMULATIVELY, IN THE YEARS SINCE 2001, AUSTRALIA’S EXPORTS TO AFRICA HAVE GROWN BY FIFTY-FOUR PER CENT – A BIG BENEFIT TO THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY. ITS HARD TO TRACK HOW MUCH OF THAT BENEFIT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO MINING. BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT A SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF THAT FIFTY-FOUR PER CENT INCREASE IN EXPORTS IS A RESULT OF THE INCREASING INVESTMENT BY AUSTRALIANS IN THE AFRICAN MINING SECTOR.
MINING INVESTMENT IS BRINGING NEW VIGOUR TO THE COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO CONTINENTS; OPENING UP NEW STRANDS TO BILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS; AND DELIVERING BENEFITS TO THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY.
AUSTRALIA AND AFRICA: THE BROADER PICTURE
BUT MINING AND ASSOCIATED COMMERCE ARE ONLY ONE PART OF AUSTRALIA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH AFRICA, A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER REMINDS THOSE OF US WHO WORK ON RELATIONS WITH AFRICA THAT HE CERTAINLY DOES NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND AFRICA.
AFRICA IS IMPORTANT TO US IN OTHER WAYS TOO AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ASSISTING ITS DEVELOPMENT.
GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF POVERTY IN AFRICA, AUSTRALIA SEEKS TO MAKE ITS CONTRIBUTION TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING TRHOUGH THE AID PROGRAM.
AUSTRALIA’S OWN REGION HAS SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS – TWO THIRDS OF THE WORLD’S POOR LIVE IN ASIA, SO THAT IS WHERE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR AID PROGRAM IS. BUT AUSTRALIA MAINTAINS A SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM IN AFRICA.
AUSTRALIA’S DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TO AFRICA THIS YEAR IS WORTH AROUND NINETY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF FIFTEEN PER CENT FROM LAST YEAR’S BUDGET.
OF THE 94 MILLION, AROUND TWENTY-FIVE MILLION IS ALLOCATED TO ALLEVIATING THE WORST NATURAL AND MAN MADE HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS ON THE CONTINENT.
ANOTHER FORTY MILLION IS USED IN PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT BETTER HEALTH AND EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN ORPHANED BY AIDS, TRADE POLICY DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO SUPPORTED OVER 3,500 AFRICAN STUDENTS TO STUDY IN AUSTRALIA SINCE 1960.
IN ADDITION, WE CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS FOCUSSING ON AFRICA SUCH AS THE WORLD BANK’S CONCESSIONAL LENDING PROGRAM AND TO DEBT RELIEF FOR THE POOREST COUNTRIES ON THE CONTINENT.
MOSTLY, AUSTRALIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED IN AREAS NOT DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO MINING. BUT THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.
I KNOW THAT THE MINING COMMUNITY, LIKE ALL AUSTRALIANS, WILL BE CONCERNED AT THE ONGOING CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE. THE KEY MESSAGE IS THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS DOING ALL THAT IT CAN TO PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC REFORM IN THAT ONCE-PROUD COUNTRY.
WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL FORUMS. WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE CAN TO BRING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE MUGABE REGIME THROUGH LOBBYING THE UN, THE MAJOR POWERS AND THE COUNTRIES IN THE REGION THAT HAVE INFLUENCE WITH ZIMBABWE. WE HAVE TIGHTENED OUR OWN SMART SANCTIONS AGAINST REGIME LEADERS, THE TOUGHEST GLOBALLY. MOST RECENTLY, MR DOWNER ANNOUNCED THAT WE WILL NO LONGER ALLOW THE ADULT CHILDREN OF MUGABE REGIME FIGURES TO WHOM AUSTRALIAN SANCTIONS APPLY TO STUDY IN AUSTRALIA.
AND ALTHOUGH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS SUSPENDED DIRECT DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION WITH THE REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT IN ZIMBABWE, WE REMAIN DETERMINED TO ASSIST ORDINARY ZIMBABWEANS TO MEET THEIR HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AS WELL AS ADVOCATE FOR RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RULE OF LAW.
IN 2006-07, AUSTRALIA PROVIDED AROUND SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN HUMANITARIAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORT IN ZIMBABWE. THESE FUNDS WERE USED TO SUPPORT FIFTEEN NGOS THAT WORK TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND A FREE AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN ZIMBABWE. WE ASSISTED THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM TO FEED OVER FOUR MILLION PEOPLE – WHICH IS ONE THIRD OF ZIMBABWE’S TOTAL POPULATION. IN ADDITION, WE ASSISTED AROUND TWELVE THOUSAND VULNERABLE URBAN HOUSEHOLDS (AROUND SIXTY THOUSAND PEOPLE) THAT HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT’S FORCED REMOVAL OF URBAN SETTLEMENTS.
AUSTRALIA WILL POTENTIALLY DOUBLE ITS FUNDING THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN FUND FOR ZIMBABWE IN 2007-08.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TOUCH ON AUSTRALIA’S ROLE IN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FROM AFRICA.
MANY OF YOU WILL KNOW OF THE TRAGIC PLIGHT OF MANY OF THE 25 MILLION REFUGEES AROUND THE WORLD. I SUSPECT THAT FEW OF YOU WILL KNOW THAT AUSTRALIA HAS THE THIRD LARGEST REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM IN THE WORLD. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT AUSTRALIA TAKES, FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT, THE THIRD LARGEST NUMBER OF REFUGEES OF ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
IT MAY ALSO SURPRISE YOU TO HEAR THAT, IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR JUST PASSED, AROUND FIFTY PER CENT OF THOSE REFUGEES CAME FROM AFRICA. IN TOTAL, THAT AMOUNTED TO MORE THAN FIVE AND A HALF THOUSAND AFRICAN REFUGEES GOING TO AUSTRALIA FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT (MANY MORE PEOPLE, I SHOULD SAY, THAN THE NUMBER WHO MIGRATE FROM SOUTH AFRICA ANNUALLY).
THESE REFUGEES ARE REFERRED TO US BY THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, WITH PREFERENCE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO ARE AT RISK OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN REFUGEE CAMPS. IN PRACTICE, THAT OFTEN MEANS WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT RISK, AND PEOPLE FROM MINORITY GROUPS WHO ARE THREATENED WITH DISCRIMINATION IN THE CAMPS.
THIS IS ANOTHER WAY IN WHICH AUSTRALIA SEEKS TO REDUCE HUMAN SUFFERING IN AFRICA, PLAY ITS PART IN ADDRESSING THE PLIGHT OF REFUGEES, AND REDUCE THE BURDEN ON COUNTRIES OF ASYLUM IN AFRICA.
THESE SHORT EXPLANATIONS OF AUSTRALIA’S ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION IN AFRICA, OUR APPROACH TO ZIMBABWE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES ARE NO MORE THAN SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF AUSTRALIA’S ENGAGEMENT WITH AFRICA. OUR OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES ARE ENGAGED DAILY IN WORKING WITH AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN AREAS AS DIVERSE AS FREE TRADE IN AGRICULTURE, COUNTER-TERRORISM, BORDER CONTROL AND CLIMATE CHANGE. OVERALL, WE HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL LIAISON WITH THE STATES OF AFRICA.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR AUSTRALIAN MINING IN AFRICA
TO RETURN TO AUSTRALIAN MINING IN AFRICA, A KEY REASON WHY I AM HERE TODAY IS TO DEMONSTRATE AGAIN THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THE CONTRIBUTION THAT AUSTRALIAN MINING IS MAKING TO OUR RELATIONS WITH AFRICA, AND INDEED TO THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF AUSTRALIA AND AFRICA.
IN TURN, WHERE WE CAN ADD VALUE AND WHERE IT MEETS AN AUSTRALIAN INTEREST, THE GOVERNMENT’S REPRESENTATIVES ARE READY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO AUSTRALIANS INVOLVED IN MINING AND OTHER COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA.
SPECIFICALLY, OUR NETWORK OF AUSTRALIAN EMBASSIES AND HIGH COMMISSIONS ARE AVAILABLE, IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN MINING AND OTHER COMPANIES.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A RANGE OF WAYS IN WHICH WE MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST, THE KEY AREA IS IN ACCESS TO SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND MINISTERS IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. KNOWING DECISION-MAKERS IN OUR COUNTRIES OF ACCREDITATION IS A KEY PART OF OUR TRADECRAFT AS DIPLOMATS. OFTEN THE ACCESS THAT WE HAVE CAN AUGMENT THE CONTACT WITH GOVERNMENT FIGURES THAT AUSTRALIAN MINERS AND THEIR LOCAL PARTNERS CAN ACHIEVE.
IT IS PART OF OUR BRIEF TO USE THAT ACCESS TO ADVOCATE FOR GOOD MINING AND OTHER PROJECTS IN OUR COUNTRIES OF ACCREDITATION.
MANY OF YOU WILL HAVE SEEN THIS AT WORK, IN A VERY PROMINENT WAY, AT THIS YEAR’S MINING INDABA IN CAPE TOWN. INDABA IS THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST CONFERENCE OF ITS KIND AND ATTRACTS SEVERAL THOUSAND DELEGATES FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT AND AROUND THE WORLD.
THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, ITS AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS AND AUSTRADE ESTABLISHED AN ‘AUSTRALIAN LOUNGE’ IN A HIGH PROFILE LOCATION AT THE CONFERENCE VENUE TO UNDERLINE THE AUSTRALIAN ROLE IN THE RESOURCE INDUSTRY IN AFRICA, AND TO SUPPORT THE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS AND AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LOUNGE INCLUDED THE MINISTERS’ AND AMBASSADORS’ LUNCHEON, WHERE WE ENTERTAINED A LARGE NUMBER OF AFRICAN MINISTERS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS IN FINE STYLE, AND BROUGHT THEM INTO CONTACT WITH KEY AUSTRALIAN MINING FIGURES. PERHAPS EVEN MORE MEMORABLE WERE THE ‘FOSTERS AT FOUR’ NETWORKING SESSIONS. ALL OF AUSTRALIA’S AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS IN AFRICA ATTENDED THE EVENT.
WHILE WE ARE NOT YET IN A POSITION TO CONFIRM, WE ERNESTLY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MOUNT A SIMILAR – PERHAPS BETTER – AUSTRALIAN LOUNGE NEXT YEAR. IF WE DO, WE WILL AGAIN LOOK TO MANY OF YOU TO AUGMENT THE FUNDS PUT INTO THE EVENT BY GOVERNMENT SOURCES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUPPORT OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES TO MAKE THE AUSTRALIAN SHOWCASE HAPPEN AGAIN.
TO RETURN TO OUR ROLE AS GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES IN AFRICA, WE CAN HELP IN OTHER WAYS, BEYOND BILATERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS:
• AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS FIGURES OFTEN APPROACH ME FOR ADVICE ON POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN OUR COUNTRIES OF ACCREDITATION;
• AND THE ORGANISATION THAT MANAGES OUR OVERSEAS REPRESENTATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS. THIS INCLUDES WTO NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH EMBRACE A RANGE OF DISCUSSIONS SUCH AS TRADE IN SERVICES. IN THESE DISCUSSIONS, OUR NEGOTIATORS ARE SEEKING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR AUSTRALIAN SERVICE PROVIDERS IN AFRICA AND ELSEWHERE.
HAVING INDICATED OUR READINESS TO HELP, I NEED ALSO TO SAY THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE RELATIVELY LIMITED. WE HAVE SIX EMBASSIES AND HIGH COMMISSIONS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, COVERING AROUND FORTY COUNTRIES. OUR EMBASSIES IN PARIS AND CAIRO ALSO HAVE SOME SUB-SAHARAN ACCREDITATIONS. THE PATTERN OF DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION REFLECTS AUSTRALIA’S OVERALL INTERESTS IN AFRICA, NOT JUST THE INTERESTS OF THE MINING COMMUNITY. BUT, AS THE OPENING OF OUR MISSION IN GHANA IN 2004 SHOWED, THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSCIOUS OF THE NEEDS OF THE RESOURCE INDUSTRY AND, WHERE THERE IS A DEMONSTRATED NEED, CHANGES IN DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION DO OCCUR.
IN FACT, SOME LOW-KEY CHANGES (NOT INVOLVING THE OPENING OF NEW MISSIONS) ARE IN THE PIPELINE. FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER RECENTLY DECIDED TO EXPAND AUSTRALIA’S FORMAL GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH A NUMBER AFRICAN COUNTRIES. WE WILL DO THIS BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN AFRICA WITH WHICH WE HAVE FORMAL DIPLOMATIC ACCREDITATIONS.
WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE IS THAT WE WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO WHICH WE FORMALLY ACCREDIT AMBASSADORS. WHILE IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS STAGE FOR ME TO INDICATE WHICH COUNTRIES THEY ARE, YOU WILL SEE THAT A NUMBER OF THEM ARE COUNTRIES WHERE AUSTRALIAN FIRMS HAVE COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.
OVERALL, MY KEY MESSAGE IS THAT YOU SHOULD FACTOR AUSTRALIA’S DIPLOMATIC RESOURCES INTO YOUR STRATEGY FOR DEALING WITH GOVERNMENTS IN AFRICA, AND NOT HESITATE TO SEEK OUR SUPPORT.
THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, WHICH MANAGES AUSTRALIA’S OVERSEAS DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE, HAS ITS HEADQUARTERS IN CANBERRA. APPROACHES CAN BE MADE TO THE AFRICA SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OR TO EMBASSIES AND HIGH COMMISSIONS DIRECTLY.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS AN OFFICE IN EACH STATE CAPITAL, STAFFED BY FOREIGN AND TRADE PROFESSIONALS, SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR LIAISON WITH AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS. THESE OFFICES, INCLUDING THE ONE HERE IN PERTH, HEADED BY PHIL ALLARS (A FORMER HIGH COMMISSIONER TO KIRIBATI AND SAMOA), ARE ANOTHER POINT OF CONTACT AVAILABLE TO YOU.
WORKING CLOSELY WITH AUSTRADE
WHILE THE TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONSHIP WITH AFRICA IS A KEY PART OF THE WORK OF OUR AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE BY NO MEANS ALONE IN THIS TASK. THE AUSTRALIAN TRADE COMMISSION, TRADING AS AUSTRADE, IS A VITAL PARTNER IN OUR WORK GLOBALLY, NOT LEAST IN AFRICA.
AUSTRADE IS MOST CLOSELY FOCUSSED ON PROVIDING ADVICE TO AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS ON MARKET CONDITIONS, AND CONNECTING THEM TO LOCAL BUSINESS. MY DIPLOMATIC COLLEAGUES AND I ARE MORE FOCUSSED ON WORK WITH GOVERNMENTS – ACCESS TO DECISION-MAKERS, AND GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS.
LESS IMPORTANT THAT THE DIFFERENT TASKS THAT WE SPECIALISE IN IS THE FACT THAT AUSTRADE OFFICIALS AND MY COLLEAGUES – AMBASSADORS AND HIGH COMMISSIONERS – WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER IN ALL THAT WE DO. MOST LIKELY, YOU WILL FIND US WORKING TOGETHER TO SECURE AN OUTCOME FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS.
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AUSTRADE’S SUBSTANTIAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN PROMOTING AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA HAVE BEEN LED BY JAY MEEK. MANY HERE TODAY WILL BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH JAY AND HIS TIRELESS SUPPORT FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS. I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT JAY IS LEAVING AFRICA FOR WETTER, GREYER AND COLDER PASTURES IN ENGLAND. HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ARE IMPRESSIVE (NOT LEAST THAT TEN PER CENT ANNUAL INCREASE IN TRADE), BUT I’M PLEASED TO SAY THAT AUSTRADE HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED A SUCCESSOR. GREG HULL, WHO IS COMPLETING AN ASSIGNMENT IN THE MIDDLE EASE, BUT HAS JOINED US FOR THIS CONFERENCE, WILL SOON REPLACE JAY.
ETHICS, CORRUPTION AND SANCTIONS
BEFORE I MOVE ON FROM THE ISSUE OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS IN AFRICA, THERE IS ONE FINAL KEY POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE.
THERE IS ONE OVER-RIDING CONCERN THAT DRIVES AUSTRALIA’S GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES IN MAKING DECISIONS ON WHETHER, AND HOW, TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS. THAT IS ETHICS.
BOTH IN AUSTRADE AND DFAT, WE SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN MINING IN AFRICA – AND BY THAT WE MEAN GOOD MINING PRACTICE IN AFRICA. OVERALL, AUSTRALIA HAS A DESERVEDLY HIGH REPUTATION IN MINING CIRCLES IN AFRICA. IT IS VERY MUCH IN THE INTERESTS OF EVERYONE AT THIS CONFERENCE THAT THAT IS MAINTAINED.
CORRUPTION IS A SERIOUS GLOBAL PROBLEM. IT STIFLES ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SLOWS DEVELOPMENT.
AUSTRALIA CONSISTENTLY SCORES WELL IN INTERNATIONAL SURVEYS OF BUSINESS INTEGRITY, AND WAS IN 2006 RATED AS THE STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD FOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
BUT WE ARE NOT COMPLACENT. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO TAKE CORRUPTION VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO INTEGRITY IN THE WAY IN WHICH OUR COMPANIES DO BUSINESS – AND ARE KEEN TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE OUR REPUTATION.
AUSTRALIA HAS STRONG ANTI-CORRUPTION LAWS THAT HAVE EXTRA-TERRITORIAL EFFECT, MEANING THAT CORRUPT ACTS COMMITTED BY AUSTRALIANS OR AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES ABROAD CAN BE PUNISHABLE IN AUSTRALIAN LAW. I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT THOSE LAWS HAVE NOT NEEDED TO BE ACTIVATED IN RELATION TO MINING ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA.
WE ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO PROMOTING BETTER GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENCY IN RESOURCE-RICH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. LAST YEAR AUSTRALIA COMMENCED FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVE – AN INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES. THE COALITION, WHICH STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO, AIMS TO PROMOTE GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES BY PUBLISHING AND VERIFYING COMPANY PAYMENTS FROM OIL, GAS AND MINERALS. A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES ACTIVE IN MINING HAVE COMMITTED TO THE INITIATIVE, INCLUDING BHP BILLITON, RIO TINTO AND WOODSIDE.
IN ADDITION TO ISSUES OF CORRUPTION AND GOVERNANCE, I ALSO WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE IMPORTANCE OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES ENSURING THAT THEIR ACTIVITIES ARE FULLY COMPLIANT WITH U.N. SANCTIONS REGIMES, AND THAT THEIR ACTIONS DO NO BREACH OTHER AUSTRALIAN LAWS WHICH AFFECT AUSTRALIAN NATIONALS ABROAD.
UN SANCTIONS REGIMES ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE IN RELATION TO THIRTEEN COUNTRIES GLOBALLY, INCLUDING SEVEN IN AFRICA. COTE D’IVOIRE, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, LIBERIA, RWANDA, SIERRA LEONE, SOMALIA AND SUDAN.
AUSTRALIAN LAWS THAT IMPLEMENT UN SANCTIONS ARE BINDING ON AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES OPERATING IN OR WITH THESE COUNTRIES. THE GOVERNMENT IS FURTHER STRENGTHENING AUSTRALIA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF U.N. SANCTIONS, THROUGH NEW MEASURES CONTAINED IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE INTEGRITY BILL. CURRENTLY BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT, THE BILL WILL INCREASE PENALTIES FOR BREACHES OF SANCTIONS, INTRODUCE NEW OFFENCES FOR CONTRAVENING AUSTRALIAN LAWS THAT IMPLEMENT UN SANCTIONS, AND CREATE NEW POWERS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO VERIFY COMPLIANCE WITH SANCTIONS.
SECOND, THERE ARE A RANGE OF SPECIFIC CRIMES WHICH AUSTRALIAN LAW FORBIDS BEYOND THE BORDERS OF OUR COUNTRY. THESE INCLUDE, AS I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED, OFFENCES SUCH AS BRIBERY OF FOREIGN PUBLIC OFFICIALS. BUT THEY ALSO INCLUDE TRANSNATIONAL ORGANISED CRIME AND MONEY LAUNDERING.
I MENTION THESE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY SEEKING TO HIGHLIGHT THE OPERATION OF SANCTIONS AND THE APPLICATION OF AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL LAW TO THE CONDUCT OF AUSTRALIANS ABROAD. THE KEY MESSAGE IS THAT AUSTRALIAN INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES SHOULD ENSURE THAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE ALWAYS IN STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH AUSTRALIAN LAWS. I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT I, LIKE ALL AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OVERSEAS, AM UNDER A DUTY TO REPORT IMMEDIATELY AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION ANY INFORMATION THAT COMES TO ME ABOUT THE BREACH OF AUSTRALIAN LAW BY AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES ABROAD.
THIS VIGILANCE AIMS TO SAFEGUARD THE REPUTATION OF AUSTRALIA. THAT REPUTATION IS HIGH, AND IS AN ASSET TO ALL OF YOU WHO DO BUSINESS ABROAD, AS IT IS TO ME IN DEALING WITH AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS. AUSTRALIA’S HIGH REPUTATION IS AN ASSET WHICH IT IS VITAL FOR ALL OF US TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE.
SAFETY OF AUSTRALIANS IN AFRICA – THE CONSULAR ROLE
FINALLY, I WANT TO TOUCH ON A TOPIC THAT IS OF KEEN INTEREST TO MINISTER DOWNER, THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AND TO ALL OF OUR DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES IN AFRICA. THAT IS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF AUSTRALIANS LIVING AND WORKING IN AFRICA. I’M SURE IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU TOO.
WE ARE CONSCIOUS THAT MINING ACTIVITIES OFTEN TAKE AUSTRALIANS TO OFF-THE-BEATEN TRACK LOCATIONS, AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS.
WE WOULD STRONGLY URGE YOU TO TAKE PROPER CARE AND PRECAUTIONS IN UNDERTAKING YOUR WORK. THE AUSTRALIAN MINING COMMUNITY HAS A TOUGH CAN-DO APPROACH TO ITS WORK, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT MAKES IT SUCCESSFUL. BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE TEMPERED BY A PROPER APPRECIATION OF THE RISKS THAT OPERATIONS IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS ENTAIL, AND SENSIBLE PRECAUTIONS AND COUNTER-MEASURES.
ONCE AGAIN, WE AT AUSTRALIAN MISSIONS AND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU IN UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING THE RISKS.
WE URGE YOU TO CAREFULLY DIGEST THE TRAVEL ADVISORIES WHICH DFAT PREPARES ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY ARE AVAILABLE ON SMARTRAVELLER.GOV.AU. WE URGE YOU AND YOUR STAFF, WHEN TRAVELLING - AND PARTICULARLY WHEN TRAVELLING (IF YOU NEED TO) TO REMOTE AND INSECURE LOCATIONS - TO REGISTER WITH THE NEAREST DIPLOMATIC MISSION. THAT TOO CAN BE DONE AT SMARTRAVELLER.GOV.AU.
WITH GROWING COMMERCIAL LINKS IN MINING, MORE AND MORE AUSTRALIANS ARE NOW TRAVELING TO – AND LIVING IN - HARDER TO GET TO PLACES. THE RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE TO PROMOTE THE SAFETY OF THESE CITIIZENS IS, AS A CONSEQUENCE, ALSO GROWING.
RESPONDING TO THIS NEED, THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY STRENGTHENDED OUR CONSULAR OPERATIONS IN AFRICA .
IN JULY THIS YEAR, THE NEW POSITION OF REGIONAL CONSULAR OFFICER FOR AFRICA WAS CREATED AT THE HIGH COMMISSION IN PRETORIA TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFECTIVE ROLE IN CONSULAR SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS IN AFRICA. I WAS HAPPY TO SEE BETTY SUTINEN TO THIS POSITION – BETTY HAS BEEN IN THE CONSULAR BUSINESS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH OUR DEPARTMENT AND HAS HAD BROAD EXPERIENCE WORKING IN AFRICA. HER PREVIOUS POSTINGS HAVE INCLUDED ZAMBIA AND KENYA AS WELL AS TURKEY, THE PHILIPPINES AND SAUDI ARABIA.
NOT ONLY DOES THE NEW POSITION PROVIDE CONSULAR SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, HER ROLE IS ALSO TO SERVE AS A REGIONAL CONSULAR RESOURCE TO ALL OF OUR AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN AFRICA. THE REGIONAL CONSULAR OFFICER WILL HELP OUR DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN THE REGION TO MANAGE TIME-CRITICAL CONSULAR CASES, IMPROVE OUR REGION'S CONSULAR EXPERTISE AND ASSIST IN THE EVENT OF CONSULAR CRISES SUCH AS CIVIL UNREST, HOSTAGE INCIDENTS OR NATURAL DISASTERS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EMPHASISE TO YOU THAT CONTINGENCY PLANNING IN THE EVENT OF A CRISIS WILL BE AN IMPORTANT FOCUS OF THIS NEW POSITION. BETTY SUTINEN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MINING COMPANIES TO DISCUSS THEIR CONTINGENCY PLANS AND TO SEE HOW THEY FIT INTO OUR MISSION’S BROADER CONTINGENCY PLAN FRAMEWORK.
CONCLUSION
LADIES AND GENTLEMENT, THE PAST TEN YEARS HAVE SEEN A RAPID INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA’S MINING ACTIVITY IN AFRICA – A FACT THAT GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES AND SUPPORTS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT HAS, TO A LARGE EXTENT, BEEN DRIVEN BY AN INCREASE IN GLOBAL DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND THE PROSPECTIVITY OF MANY PARTS OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS TOO, THAT RELATE SPECIFICALLY TO AUSTRALIA. I DO NOT DISCOUNT THE SHEER SKILL OF AUSTRALIAN MINERS AND THEIR SERVICE PROVIDERS, THE FLEXIBILITY OF AUSTRALIAN FINANCIERS, AND THEIR READINESS TO SUPPORT SMALL, ENTREPRENEURIAL JUNIOR MINORS.
CHARACTER IS ALSO IMPORTANT. WE SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE CAN-DO APPROACH OF AUSTRALIAN MINERS, WHO FAIL TO BE PUT OFF BY CONDITIONS THAT WOULD DETER OTHERS.
AND, FROM TWENTY YEARS OBSERVING AUSTRALIAN MINERS IN AFRICA, I AM CONVINCED THAT AUSTRALIANS OVERALL WORK WELL IN AFRICA. WE INSTINCTIVELY UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF PERSONAL CONTACT WITH OUR AFRICAN COUNTERPARTS. WE ARE FLEXIBLE TO THE NEEDS OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND ARE PREPARED TO WORK COOPERATIVELY AND FLEXIBLY WITH THEM;WE ARE ALERT TO THE ISSUES THAT WILL DRIVE THE INTEREST OF AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS – HONESTY IN RELATION TO WHAT CAN, AND CAN NOT, BE DELIVERED BY THE PROJECT; THE SPIN-OFFS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, MOST IMPORTANTLY JOBS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS, I HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE DEGREE TO WHICH, INSTINCTIVELY, AUSTRALIAN MINERS HAVE THESE THOUGHTS IN THEIR MINDS.
THE WORK OF AUSTRALIAN MINERS HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH AFRICA, TO THE CONSIDERABLE BENEFIT OF AUSTRALIA AND AFRICAN COUNTRIES ALIKE. I EXPECT THE FUTURE TO SEE MORE OF THE SAME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON GOOD MINING PROJECTS THAT WILL SUSTAIN THAT MOMENTUM.