Relations with Australia

Political dialogue
 

• At the 2021 NATO Summit in Brussels, Allies agreed to increase dialogue and practical cooperation between NATO and existing partners, including Australia as one of the partners in the Indo-Pacific. This commitment was reiterated in the NATO 2022 Strategic Concept, the Alliance’s core policy document. Cooperation with partners in this region is key to addressing the increasingly complex global security environment, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) stated ambitions and coercive policies in various domains, the deepening strategic partnership between the PRC and Russia, and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
   
• In June 2022, the Prime Minister of Australia participated in the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid together with the Leaders of other partners from the Indo-Pacific region (Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand). In July 2023, the country participated in its second meeting at the level of Heads of State and Government, at the 2023 Vilnius Summit. In July 2024, Australia, together with other partners in the Indo-Pacific, participated in the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., where practical cooperation between Allies and these partners was further enhanced, including through the launch of new flagship projects in the areas of support to Ukraine on military healthcare as well as cyber defence, countering disinformation, and technology such as artificial intelligence.

• Since 2022, Australia has regularly attended NATO Foreign Ministers’ meetings. This followed the country’s first-ever participation in a NATO ministerial meeting in December 2020. Australia participated for the first time in a NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting in October 2024. 

• Australia also participates in meetings at NATO Headquarters between NATO Allies and the four partners in the Indo-Pacific region at the level of Ambassadors. Recent meetings have focused on cyber defence, technology and hybrid challenges.

Key areas of cooperation

Australia's cooperation with NATO is mutually beneficial and covers many common security challenges, including:

• Building capabilities and interoperability: Australia is also one of four countries that have enhanced opportunities for dialogue and cooperation with the Allies (known as ‘Enhanced Opportunities Partners’) in recognition of their particularly significant contributions to NATO operations and other Alliance objectives. To deepen interoperability, Australia participates in committee work on issues such as logistics, information-sharing among operational partners, aviation, codification and armaments cooperation, where Australia works with NATO on capability development in the land, maritime and air domains. Australia is also regularly involved in NATO military exercises open to partners.
   
• New technologies and energy security: In the framework of NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme, leading areas of practical cooperation with Australia include emerging and disruptive technologies and energy security. Notably, experts from Australia are participating in a top-down project aiming to increase energy efficiency in deployable camps and reduce fossil fuels consumption.
   
• Trust Funds: Australia contributed to a number of NATO Trust Fund projects, including a project designed to clear unexploded ordnance in Saloglu, Azerbaijan (2010) and the Ukraine Medical Rehabilitation Trust Fund after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Support for NATO-led operations and missions
 

• Both NATO and Australia are members of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Australia also participates as one of the operational partners in NATO Mission Iraq, a non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission launched in July 2018 that aims to strengthen Iraqi security institutions and forces so that they are able to prevent the return of ISIS, fight terrorism and stabilise their country.
   
• Australia and NATO also work together to strengthen maritime security. Australia is an operational partner for NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian. The Australian navy also cooperated with NATO to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia as part of the past operation Ocean Shield.
   
• Over almost a decade, Australia was one of the largest non-NATO troop contributors to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which completed its mission in 2014. As part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan, Australian personnel provided security and delivered reconstruction and community-based projects. Additionally, Australia’s Special Operations Task Group operated in direct support of ISAF elements in Uruzgan Province. From 2015 until spring 2021, Australia supported NATO’s follow-on Resolute Support Mission (RSM) to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces and institutions. Australia was also a leading contributor to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund, having donated USD 680 million to the fund.