FACT SHEET: Delivering on the Next Generation of Innovation and Partnership with Australia

President Biden of the United States is welcoming Prime Minister Albanese of Australia on October 25, 2023 for an official visit and state dinner. The two leaders will reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Australia alliance and the evolution of its reach beyond defense and security into a force for increased prosperity and innovation across the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.

The United States and Australia unequivocally condemn Hamas’s abhorrent attack on Israel and reaffirm Israel’s right to defend itself. We urge regional de-escalation and do not want to see this conflict widen, expand, or deepen. We support ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas. In response to the conflict launched by Hamas, we underscore the critical importance of operating consistent with international humanitarian law to include the protection of civilians in Gaza. Together, the United States and Australia are delivering more than $115 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

To support our shared priorities and vision and to build an alliance that reflects the depth and breadth of our relationship, the United States and Australia intend to partner in new ways, including the initiatives outlined below.

Promoting Advanced Technology and Space Cooperation
Advanced, safe, and responsible technology, including quantum and artificial intelligence innovation, will play a central role in shaping the future and delivering on prosperity and security. We plan to further enhance our alliance as we develop cutting-edge solutions to the most consequential challenges of our time through a strong partnership along these key areas:

• Driving Forward Cutting-Edge Research: The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have launched new artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation supported by a combined $6.2 million to drive ground-breaking research in responsible and ethical AI solutions to address pandemic preparedness, drought resilience, and other societal challenges.
  
  • The U.S. Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Australian National University have developed a Memorandum of Understanding which will strengthen cooperation in research and education between the United States and Australia.
    
  • Australia and the United States were original signatories of the Artemis Accords.
    
  • Australia and the United States have previously committed not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing, and have both participated in the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats through norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviour.
    
  • The United States and Australia will also continue to work together on complementary efforts to promote the long-term sustainability of outer space, including within the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and through the Quad, where they work with India and Japan to foster dialogue with other Indo-Pacific partners on sustainable best practices in outer space.
    
  • The United States and Australia continue to advance negotiations on a space cooperation framework agreement to enable broader bilateral cooperation.
    

  Building Clean Energy Supply Chains and Addressing the Climate Crisis
  The historic Australia-United States Climate, Critical Minerals, and Clean Energy Transformation Compact (“the Compact”), launched in May, demonstrates our shared commitment to enhancing climate and clean energy cooperation as the third pillar of our strategic Alliance.

  • Driving Forward Clean Energy Collaboration: U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen hosted the inaugural Ministerial Dialogue for Clean Energy on October 17 to strengthen the enduring partnership between our two nations, our people, and our industries on clean energy. The ministers endorsed an action plan for the Compact that will drive ambitious solutions to shared challenges on energy supply chains.
    
    • As part of our enhanced collaboration, Australia and the U.S. Department of Energy intend to establish an Australia-U.S. Clean Energy Industry Council comprised of business and public finance leaders to advise our governments on clean energy industry development and cooperation.
      
    • Australia and the United States intend to jointly fund work on two initiatives related to the development of grid modernization technology and long-duration energy storage under the Net Zero Technology Acceleration Partnership, which will complement and build on National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Australian Energy Market Operator and CSIRO cooperation through the Global Power Systems Transformation Consortium.
      
    • Australia and the United States will explore opportunities to develop collaborative projects under the Clean Energy Demand Initiative (CEDI), in consultation with third countries. Additionally, two Australian companies – Fortescue and South32 – have signed on to CEDI principles as private-sector partners of the U.S. and Australian governments.
      
    • Australia and the United States intend to develop a Memorandum of Understanding between relevant Australian government entities and the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to explore collaboration opportunities.
      
    • Australia and the United States also intend to establish information-sharing exchanges on economy-wide emissions accounting schemes for products like hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
      
    • Australia and the United States are also committed to the sustainable development of high integrity SAF production to support emissions reductions in the aviation sector and will continue to explore areas for cooperation under the Compact.
      
    • Collaborating to map complementary production capacities across our respective critical minerals supply chain.
      
    • Working towards mutual recognition of common and aligned ESG standards for the sector, including on labor and environmental protection.
      
    • Increasing information sharing to help each country shape local priorities and support industry investment.
      
    • Enhancing collaboration on traceability practices for verifying provenance of critical minerals and commodities.
      
    • Developing options to improve market dynamics and address non-market practices for critical minerals necessary to the growth of our respective economies and energy sectors including through considering actions to increase transparency on mineral market transactions.
      
    • Export-Import Bank of the United States and Export Finance Australia are collaborating to promote the growth of reliable and secure critical minerals supply chains including through establishing a single point of entry for critical mineral supply chain projects involving Australian or US interests.
      
    • In graphite, Australian companies Syrah and Novonix are delivering jobs and graphite in the United States with support from the United States Government.
      
    • The Board of Directors of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) approved a loan of up to $150 million to Twigg Exploration and Mining to fund investments in the company’s graphite mining and processing operation in Balama, Mozambique. The loan will increase production and diversify the global supply chain for graphite, which is a critical mineral for a range of clean energy and advanced technology products. DFC’s support will also lead to job creation and investment in local infrastructure while ensuring high environmental and social standards that are essential for responsible mining. This investment complements an investment by Twigg’s parent company, Australia-listed Syrah Resources, in the Vidalia graphite active anode material processing facility in Louisiana which received a loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.
      
    • In Australia, the Australian Government has approved support to help EcoGraf Limited, and Renascor Resources produce high-purity graphite with Export Finance Australia administering these loans.
      
    • Export Finance Australia is providing $220 million through an export credit agency (ECA) Facility to the Liontown’s Kathleen Valley Lithium project, which will supply lithium to U.S. manufacturers.
      
    • Continuing work through the Minerals Security Partnership to promote investment in strategic critical minerals projects across four continents involving Australian and U.S. companies.
      
    • President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese underscored the imperative of addressing non-CO2 pollutants as a key driver of global climate change. Together, the United States and Australia will continue to take strong action at home on methane mitigation and consider opportunities to support developing countries in the Indo-Pacific with capacity building assistance on methane mitigation.
      
    • Together, we are committed to supporting the Montreal Protocol’s Multilateral Fund’s work to enhance support for early action to reduce HFC consumption and for improved energy efficiency for the HCFC phase-out and HFC phase-down in order to maximize the climate benefits of Montreal Protocol implementation.
      
    • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the establishment of Environment Protection Australia, Australia’s new national environment protection agency and to promote bilateral cooperation on environmental protection.
      
    • The United States and Australia are working to jointly develop an Indo-Pacific Net-Zero Transition bond series that will mobilize funding for small and medium sized enterprises with a focus on clean energy transition.
      
    • Recognizing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on Pacific island countries, and building on the leaders’ commitment in May to support Pacific-led initiatives to enhance climate change mitigation, adaptation and mitigation efforts, Australia and the United States intend to further explore a meaningful contribution to the Pacific Resilience Facility, once the design and other arrangements have been finalized, as a Pacific Island Forum-led and member-owned Facility that will build climate and disaster resilience.
      
    • In addition, the United States and Australia will work to enhance access to the resources of the Green Climate Fund, and other relevant multilateral funds, especially for those most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, including least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS). This effort will be advanced, including through targeted bilateral technical assistance from USAID to LDCs and SIDS and in coordination with DFAT’s program of support to Pacific Island countries.
      
    • The United States welcomed Australia’s bid to host COP31 in 2026 in partnership with Pacific Island Countries.
      

    Advancing Prosperity and Resilience in the Pacific
    Following the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit, the U.S. and Australia reaffirmed their intention to work through existing regional architecture, including the Pacific Islands Forum as the Pacific’s pre-eminent institution, to meet the region’s needs and aspirations, including as articulated in the 2050 Pacific Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. Together, Australia and the United States plan to support a range of projects and activities intended to support inclusive, climate-resilient economic development across the region, in consultation with the Pacific Islands Forum, regional organisations and likeminded partners to ensure coordination across programs and countries.
    

    • Enhancing Digital Connectivity: As part of our Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, the United States is engaging with Google to scale a series of significant private-sector consortium investments in subsea cables to provide the expansion of sustainable and reliable internet infrastructure to Pacific Island Countries. In consultation with our Pacific Island counterparts, Australia and the United States intend to work together to support connection by Pacific Islands to international commercial subsea cable systems under development. Together our countries plan to invest a total of $65 million in support of enhancing secure, resilient connectivity in the Pacific Islands by working with Google, APTelecom, and Hawaiki Nui to provide branching units for the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
      
      • Australia will provide $50 million through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific to support future primary and redundancy connectivity options for Pacific Island countries. This builds on existing investments by Australia and the United States, as well as other Quad partners in telecommunications infrastructure in the region, including U.S. plans to work with Congress to expand the U.S. Pacific Islands Infrastructure Initiative announced at the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit.
        
      • Working with Congress, the United States, under the State Department’s Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP), intends to support expanding access to fast, secure, interoperable, and reliable internet connectivity in Pacific Island countries by increasing the initial $3 million allocation to $5 million, followed by an additional $10 million in subsequent years to support Google’s South Pacific Connect subsea cable initiative. This $15 million supports the initial investment of up to $3 million announced by the United States in September for a USTDA feasibility study for the proposed Central Pacific Cable led by APTelecom.

      • Together, the United States and Australia intend to engage Pacific Island nations and the private sector to explore developing and deploying a pilot initiative in the region to increase national cyber resilience. This pilot initiative could help protect and back up government data by upgrading data services, including through implementation of cloud-based solutions to store government records.
      • Expanding Access to Finance: Access to finance across the Pacific Islands for both governments and the private sector is important to support a vibrant and resilient region which is still recovering from the economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic.
        
        • The United States and Australia remain committed to evolving Multilateral Development Banks to better address global challenges as part of their contribution to reducing poverty, boosting sustainable and inclusive growth, and helping achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We commit to raising the level of ambition to deliver more headroom and concessional finance to boost the World Bank’s capacity to support low- and middle-income countries in addressing global challenges and to provide strong support for the poorest countries. The United States and Australia will step up efforts to this end. Both countries continue to cooperate through the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to promote transparent, high-quality investment, including use of competitive procurement focused on value for money and strong development outcomes, that creates more opportunities for local employment and skills development across the Indo-Pacific, particularly the Pacific Islands.
          
        • The United States and Australia also remain committed to working with Pacific Island countries to maintain access to enduring banking services. Today, we jointly launch a new Pacific Banking Forum, in consultation with Pacific Island countries, to bring together our public and private sectors to address the causes of de-risking, and we affirm our plan to provide new and additional technical assistance to improve the region’s access to financial services. We further intend to work with the Pacific to address the costs and accessibility of correspondent banking relationships, including by addressing jurisdiction-specific challenges and exploring regional approaches to aggregate payment flows, as appropriate.
          
        • Australia welcomed the U.S. announcement at the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit that the United States intends to launch an up to $50 million flexible Microfinance Facility to expand access to finance in the Pacific Islands, and Australia and the United States look forward to opportunities to partner with Pacific Island countries to improve access to finance and banking services for the region’s private sector.
          
        • As part of the announcement at the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit to expand the Pacific Islands Infrastructure Initiative, the United States and Australia plan to co-finance critical maritime infrastructure in Kiribati, including the rehabilitation of Kanton Wharf and Charlie Wharf in Tarawa, subject to Congressional notification.
          
        • Australia intends to provide over $300,000 to support a Blue Dot Network Secretariat to enable transparent, sustainable, and quality infrastructure projects.
          
        • Australia welcomed the recent opening of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Pacific Islands Mission in Suva and the USAID Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Country Representative Office in Port Moresby. To strengthen our bilateral development cooperation, USAID and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are exploring arrangements to strengthen organizational interoperability, knowledge sharing and officer-to-officer links.

        Enhancing Defense and Security Cooperation
        U.S. and Australian forces have fought side-by-side in pursuit of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and peace and stability for more than one hundred years, in every major conflict since World War I. Together, our two countries have taken numerous steps to pave the way for closer defense and security ties. The announcements below continue to build on this pillar of our alliance.
        

        • Increasing Support for Ukraine: The United States and Australia continue to condemn Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s war violates international law, including the UN Charter, and is driving global food and energy insecurity – the effects of which are reverberating throughout the Indo-Pacific region. As part of our continuing, coordinated actions to assist Ukraine, Australia announced its intention to provide $13 million in military support to Ukraine.
          
          • This support includes: anti-drone equipment designed in Australia which can detect, verify, track and defeat UAS in real time; 3-D printers which can be deployed near the frontlines with a primary focus on the rapid production of critical repair parts for a variety of armored platforms; demining equipment manufactured by Australian including countermine metal detectors used for the detection of mines, IEDs, unexploded ordnance, and cluster munitions; and Australian designed and built ultra-lightweight x-ray unit that provides high quality imaging at the point of care for patients.
            
          • In addition to support to Ukraine, Australia responded to a request from the United States to deploy a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail Aircraft to Germany. The Australian deployment will bolster the multilayered protection of the flow of international support to Ukraine by providing early warning of a threat against the gateway of military assistance.
            
          • The Biden Administration has proposed to Congress an ambitious proposal to transform U.S. export control laws. Australia is also examining its export control framework to streamline the flow of defense information and technology and is taking steps to realize this ambition. Both nations are committed to strengthening their security standards to safeguard sensitive technology and information. Collectively, these actions are designed to enhance and expedite collaboration between and among AUKUS partners to help us maintain our capability edge, while strengthening our ability to protect the sensitive technologies that underpin our security.
            
          • As we strengthen and integrate our innovation ecosystems, we have a shared interest in enhancing our technology protection toolkits to ensure sensitive advanced technologies critical to military modernization cannot be used to undermine international peace and security. Australia acknowledges the strategic rationale of the U.S. Executive Order to advance a targeted set of controls on outbound investments in sensitive technologies with a core national security nexus. Australia regularly reviews its investment settings to ensure they remain fit for purpose to deal with emerging risks. We intend to maintain close consultations and communicate clearly to the private sector regarding our joint resolve and shared objectives in this area, and will maintain our long-standing commitment to investment and to open and fair trade.

          Strengthening People-to-People Ties
          Our Alliance is supported by our strong people-to-people ties, democratic values, respect for human rights, and support for marginalized groups.
          

          • Increasing Connectivity: The United States is pleased to begin initial discussions with its international partners, including Australia, to explore a U.S. Transportation Security Administration “One Stop Security” pilot program. “One Stop Security” would streamline security screening requirements and shorten transit times for covered passenger populations. We appreciate Australia’s interest in this pilot opportunity and look forward to continuing conversations based on security commensurability.
            
          • Strengthening Alliance and Regional Solidarity: The United States is providing $500,000 for public diplomacy programming in Australia to increase understanding of the U.S.-Australia alliance both within Australia and the broader Indo-Pacific region. These engagements will forge new avenues for cooperation on climate change, economic security, and emerging technology while also promoting new ideas on strengthening the alliance and fortifying regional solidarity.
            
          • Growing Economic Opportunities for Indigenous Peoples: Australia and the U.S. have a shared interest in ensuring that our trade and investment agenda delivers inclusive economic growth and benefits for everyone. Today we have also committed to work together, and in genuine partnership with Indigenous businesses and stakeholders from both Australia and the United States, to grow opportunities for our Indigenous Peoples to enjoy the economic prosperity created by our two-way trade and investment. Leaders welcomed the opportunities that will be created by the United States announcement of $250,000 in new funding that will work with Australian government programs to support ongoing dialogue, knowledge-sharing and increased business opportunities for our Indigenous Peoples over coming months and years.
            
            • This week Australia and the United States held a roundtable between Indigenous businesses and government leaders from both nations, including Supply Nation’s Australian Indigenous Business Delegation, who are travelling across the United States to grow important Indigenous commercial and cultural ties.

            Advancing Gender Equality and Human Rights
            

            • Strengthening Bilateral Gender Equality Policy Coordination: The United States and Australia are reinforcing our already strong coordination to advance gender equality globally through an annual bilateral strategic dialogue. Australia intends to host the next iteration of the bilateral strategic dialogue in 2024.
              
            • Investing in Women’s Economic Empowerment: Together we will serve as founding members of the Women in the Sustainable Economy initiative, working jointly and with government and private sector partners to increase women’s access to jobs, training, leadership opportunities, and finance in the green and blue sectors. We intend to also continue to partner to advance access to digital technologies for all women and girls, including through the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative, and plan to work together to expand access to quality, affordable childcare through the World Bank’s Invest in Childcare initiative.
              
            • Addressing Gender-Based Violence Globally and Implementing the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals: Together we recommit to joint efforts to achieve SDG5, promote women’s leadership, and counter efforts to push back against women’s and girls’ human rights. The U.S. and Australia intend to continue working together and with partners to combat all forms of gender-based violence, online and offline, and fully implement the Women, Peace and Security agenda, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
              
            • Combatting Online Child Sexual Exploitation: We are officially launching the U.S.-Australia Joint Council on Combatting Online Child Sexual Exploitation, which will meet for the first time on November 16, ahead of the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence, on November 18. Co-chaired by Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas and Australian Attorney General Dreyfus, the Council will oversee and implement a trauma-informed and victim and survivor-centered multidisciplinary workplan bringing together experts across our governments, focused on: cooperation in the Indo-Pacific; research and development; operational opportunities; policy; prevention, awareness, and outreach; and Safety by Design.
              
            • Advancing the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons: Australia and the United States have committed to strengthening our work together to promote respect for the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons in the Indo-Pacific. Australia contributed over $1 million this year to co-fund projects through the Global Equality Fund that will strengthen the capacity of local and regional organizations to advocate for legal protections and increase inclusion.
              
            • Promoting, Protecting and Fulfilling the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities: The United States and Australia are deepening cooperation to promote, protect and fulfil the human rights of persons with disabilities, and strengthen their inclusion. Together, we have provided funding to support ASEAN, ASEAN Member State governments, and organizations of persons with disabilities to implement the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.