Australia and the United Nations

Australia firmly believes that global problems require global solutions. As the only truly global organisation, the United Nations plays a critical role in addressing the challenges that no country can resolve on its own. Australia was a founding member of the United Nations and played a leading role in drafting the United Nations Charter articles on the Security Council. It has had a long and active engagement with the organisation.

Australia has been a consistent and long-term contributor to United Nations efforts to safeguard international peace and security. We are, for example, the 13th largest contributor to the United Nations budget. We have contributed to many United Nations peacekeeping operations. We are firmly committed to increasing our development assistance and seeking real progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. And in the larger multilateral system, we are energetically pursuing international trade liberalisation through the Doha Development Round for the benefit of all countries, both developed and developing.

On coming to office in December 2007, the Australian Government made clear its commitment to the multilateral system as one of the three fundamental pillars of Australia’s foreign policy. Australia is determined to work through the United Nations to enhance security and economic well-being worldwide, and to uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Australia is determined to help address serious global challenges including conflict prevention, international development, climate change, terrorism and the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction. The Security Council plays a key role in addressing many of these challenges, and we stand ready to take on the responsibility of helping to address these challenges in the world’s pre-eminent body.

In March 2008, the Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, announced that Australia would stand for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2013-14 term. Having not served on the Security Council since 1986, it is natural that Australia would aspire to another term on the world’s pre-eminent security body. Australia would play an independent, constructive role as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Australia would, for example, continue to seek to overcome entrenched regional differences and would seek greater transparency of the Security Council’s working methods – including by acting as a conduit for non-members.

Representation

Australia is represented at the UN by three major diplomatic missions in New York, Geneva and Vienna. The New York Permanent Mission is headed by a senior ambassador, the Permanent Representative, and includes a number of diplomatic officers and staff. The Mission also serves as the nucleus of the Australian delegation to the regular sessions of the General Assembly and represents Australia at a range of UN meetings that take place when the Assembly is not in session.

The Australian Permanent Mission in Geneva is also headed by a senior ambassador who is, in addition, Australia's Ambassador for Disarmament, representing Australia at the permanent Conference on Disarmament. Australia maintains a separate ambassador in Geneva to deal with international trade matters. The staff of the mission includes diplomatic and specialist officers who deal with the work of the European office of the UN and several specialised agencies.

The Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission in Vienna is also headed by a senior ambassador. The Permanent Mission is accredited to a number of United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna.

Our diplomatic missions in Paris, London, Nairobi, Rome, The Hague, and Bangkok also provide valuable contacts with the UN bodies and agencies located in those cities.

Areas of Particular Australian Interest and Contribution

Australia’s core interests in terms of the UN's agenda lie in areas such as international security and disarmament, environment, human rights machinery, targeted development programs, and those technical agencies dealing with issues such as agriculture, refugees and international nuclear safeguards. These and other UN related areas in which Australia has made significant contributions and remains actively engaged are explored below.

More information about the United Nations

The United Nations Charter was drawn up by the representatives of 50 countries at the United Nations Conference on International Organisation, which met in San Francisco in 1945. The United Nations is the only truly global organisation and now includes 192 members. More...

Other resources

For further information on Australia's relations with the United Nations contact:

The Director, United Nations and Commonwealth Section
International Organisations Branch
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
+61-2-6261 1111