Aus-Africa Dialogue: Reflections and Recommendations

The Aus-Africa Dialogue is a unique second track initiative that brought senior Australians and Africans – from government, think tanks and the private sector – together to discuss ways to strengthen relations between the two continents.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop – a participant in the Aus-Africa Dialogue – writes in the Report’s Foreword:

"The discussion in Western Australia made clear that increased Australian trade and investment in Africa is the best way for Australia to help stimulate growth and development in Africa."

His Excellency Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya and also a Dialogue participant, notes in the Report that:

"Intra-African trade is growing year on year, but it is still small when compared with Africa’s trade with the EU or China. The main reason it remains so is because Africa lacks the infrastructure—power, roads, ports and so on—to support robust economic development. The ‘Cape to Cairo’ dream has become a necessity for Africa. Investment in infrastructure represents a golden opportunity for Australian firms seeking not just profits but also wishing to contribute substantially to the continent’s development."