I will visit Bangladesh from 3 to 5 September to attend a ministerial meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and meet with Bangladesh Government leaders.
As an island continent, Australia recognises the importance of ocean health for economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
At the IORA Blue Economy Ministerial Conference, I will highlight strategies for creating environmentally sustainable marine-based industries including fishing, aquaculture, tourism, shipping, oil and gas.
I will announce the establishment of the IORA Blue Carbon Hub, an Australian initiative located at the University of Western Australia in Perth and managed by CSIRO. The Hub aims to promote the health of blue carbon ecosystems – mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses – to promote coastal protection, food security and sustainable livelihoods.
During my visit, I will travel to Cox’s Bazar, where more than 900,000 displaced Rohingya are living in refugee camps and host communities are also identified as needing humanitarian assistance.
Australia has been a leading provider of humanitarian assistance, including counselling and medical services to women and girls who have experienced violence, the supply of food and nutrition – particularly for children under five and breastfeeding women – and clean water, shelter and primary healthcare.
My discussions with Bangladesh Government leaders will focus on countering violent extremism, growing trade and investment links, promoting the Australian education sector, and addressing the Rohingya crisis.
This will be the first visit to Bangladesh by an Australian Foreign Minister since 1998 and the first by a Cabinet Minister since 2006.
