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Defence Minister Linda Reynolds and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne have officially announced the lead-up to the 2019 AUSMIN meetings, to be hosted in Sydney on 4 August.
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In a joint media statement, ministers Reynolds and Payne expressed delight at hosting their American counterparts, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and newly installed Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, ahead of the meetings.
"We look forward to hosting United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in Sydney on 4 August for the 2019 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN)," the joint statement said.
For 34 years, AUSMIN has served as the annual, principal forum for Australia-US co-operation on strategic, foreign and defence policy. This year’s AUSMIN are an opportunity to strengthen the alliance by deepening diplomatic, security and economic co-operation in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
"Both Australia and the US are committed to an inclusive region where state sovereignty is respected, and where trade, capital and ideas flow freely. We will discuss building our economic co-operation to strengthen development, innovation and wealth creation in the Indo-Pacific, and how we can work together with Pacific partners to meet their infrastructure and security needs," the ministers' joint statement added.
The latest round of AUSMIN meetings come shortly after a record number of US Marines were forward deployed to Darwin as part of the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) and the successful completion of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 in north Queensland– both of which are used to highlight the enduring and growing strength of the special relationship between the US and Australia.
There will be a number of core focuses for the 2019 AUSMIN meetings, with the ministers' joint release stating, "Australia-US collaboration in south-east Asia and the south-west Pacific will be a key focus. We will discuss Australia’s Pacific Step-Up, closer military-to-military co-operation, the continuing effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism online, and address key issues of regional security.
"We look forward to reinforcing our strong and mutually beneficial economic ties. Our trade and investment relationship is thriving, underpinned by our bilateral free trade agreement. Two-way investment reached AUD$1.7 trillion in 2018 and the US is by far the largest source of foreign investment into Australia."
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
