- UK to strengthen partnership with Australia in defence,
security, climate and trade
- The Prime Minister will speak to Scott Morrison in a video
call this evening to agree new bilateral cooperation
-
UK expected to announce
£25m to support security and resilience in the Indo-Pacific, as
well as new defence and climate-science
projects
The United Kingdom and Australia are expected to agree new
measures to boost bilateral cooperation and work more closely
together in the Indo-Pacific, in a leaders conference call this
evening [Wednesday 16th Feb].
The Prime Minister will speak to Australian Prime Minister Scott
Morrison via secure video call to discuss shared defence and
security issues, including the current situation in Ukraine, as
well as trade and technology collaboration.
As part of the UK’s tilt to the Indo-Pacific, the Prime Minister
will announce £25m for regional projects to strengthen resilience
in cyberspace, state threats and maritime security. The UK aims
to be the European partner of choice in the Indo-Pacific and we
are committed to working with Australia to promote peace and
security in the region.
Following the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement signed in
December, the Prime Minister will also highlight opportunities
for British workers, businesses and consumers to reap the
benefits of the comprehensive and wide-ranging deal.
He will welcome two major new investments, with Australian
fintech firm PEXA expanding into the UK as its first
international market and UK energy company Octopus developing a
major greenfield renewables project. In a boost for UK-Australia
collaboration on clean tech, Octopus Australia is partnering with
an Indigenous business group to create Desert Springs Octopus, a
project worth £26bn over ten years that will deliver wind, solar
and hydrogen energy.
Prime Minister said:
“The UK and Australia are working together to enhance regional
security in the Indo-Pacific, drive innovation in science and
green technology and boost opportunities for our businesses and
citizens.
“Our nations are forging a new partnership from a historic
alliance, fit for the next century and grounded in our shared
priorities on security, democracy and free and fair trade.”
The leaders are expected underline their personal commitment to
the AUKUS partnership, including the collective endeavour with
the United States to provide the Royal Australian Navy with a
conventional-armed nuclear-powered submarine capability, and to
commit to increased joint naval activity in the Indo Pacific.
The UK and Australia will also boost cooperation on science and
technology through a new Science Partnership Series to bring our
world-class research communities together. The UK will enhance
the UK-Australia Space Bridge Agreement, agreed a year ago, with
a new £1m commitment for Earth Observation in Agroclimate to help
farmers deal with a changing climate. Both countries will
recommit to delivering on the Glasgow Climate Pact and Paris
Agreement to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
-
The Prime Minister and
Prime Minister Morrison will speak via secure video call at
approximately 2030 GMT on Wednesday 16th February.
