Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Quad Leaders, President of the United States Joseph R. Biden Jr., Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan for the 2024 Quad Leaders' Summit in Delaware, United States.
The meeting underscored Australia's deep commitment to the future prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific. Through the Quad, Australia is working with three of our most important partners to shape the kind of region in which we want to live-an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Leaders agreed and announced a range of new practical outcomes at the Summit:
- The Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative which aims to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer in the Indo-Pacific. Quad countries will promote increased HPV vaccinations to fight cervical cancer, increase access to screenings and expand treatment options and care based on the technology developed in Queensland, Australia, potentially saving millions of women's lives.
- The expansion of the Quad Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to build existing capabilities and increase training to ensure regional partners continue to grow their ability to counter illicit maritime activities.
- The Indo-Pacific Logistics Network Pilot, where Quad partners will work together to create a joint Quad airlift capability, making humanitarian assistance and responses to natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific more efficient, effective and timely.
- The Quad Coast Guard Cooperation to improve interoperability and advance maritime safety among Quad coast guard forces by launching the first Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025.
Australia also highlighted progress in implementing some key outcomes from the 2023 Quad Leaders' Summit, chaired by Australia:
- Grants for the Quad Clean Energy Supply Chain Diversification Program, Australia's signature 2023 Summit outcome, will open in November to help develop more diverse solar photovoltaic, hydrogen electrolyser and battery supply chains in our region. Diversifying and expanding clean energy supply chains is critical to enhancing the region's collective energy security.
- We will soon see the first cohort of public health practitioners from Southeast Asian nations commence outbreak response training at the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre in Darwin. The Quad Health Security Partnership is focused on improving the region's ability to deploy public health resources to respond to disease outbreaks and other emergencies.
- The Centre for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, Australia's commitment under the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, has begun its important work with governments and industry on the effective development, management, and repair of undersea cables. The Centre is delivering training and workshops through the rest of 2024.Undersea cables are key to global growth, carrying more than 95% of international data traffic.
- The Quad Infrastructure Fellowships Program helps ensure countries in our region have access to quality, sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure. Australia will host the first 70 Australian Fellows selected via the Australian Government's Australia Awards program. Fellows are expected to commence later this year with participants from Fiji, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
"I would like to thank President Biden for hosting the 2024 Quad Leaders' Summit in his home state of Delaware.
"A stronger Quad means a stronger Australia. We held important discussions on the key issues for our region and further strengthened our cooperation in this time of global economic and security challenges.
"The Quad continues to build its momentum and I am proud of the positive outcomes that we have agreed today for the benefit of the Indo-Pacific.
"Australia is always better off when we work together with our friends and partners, leveraging our four nations' collective strengths to respond to the region's needs and to deliver for the Australian people.
"The Quad is a vital diplomatic partnership which helps us coordinate more effectively for our region.
"An open, stable and prosperous region, where we can all cooperate, trade and thrive is in all of our interests.
"I also wish to thank President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida for their enduring commitment to the Quad over their time in office."
