Key Developments
On 1 August 2026, Australia put First Nations links with the Pacific at the centre of regional diplomacy at Garma, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The same day, France welcomed broader support for a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining and new accessions to UNCLOS, according to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Key Statistics
- 46 states were in the coalition seeking a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining beyond national jurisdiction, according to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
- 172 parties were covered by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea after Kyrgyzstan and Cambodia joined, according to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
- Historical: A$98.3 million in Australian development assistance was allocated for Vietnam, according to Ministers and Assistant Ministers, DFAT
- Historical: 80 years of Australia-Philippines diplomatic relations were cited by the Minister for Foreign Affairs
Main Body
On 1 August 2026, Australia used the Garma Festival to frame First Nations relationships with Pacific Island nations as part of its foreign policy, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In a separate 1 August 2026 announcement, France said the International Seabed Authority had concluded meetings in Kingston, Jamaica, and welcomed added backing for a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining beyond national jurisdictions, according to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs said she led a senior ministerial delegation to Garma and discussed Indigenous engagement, while also saying formal processes should apply to calls by the Dilak clans for a breakaway land council. In her Garma address, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said Australia had inaugurated a partnership with Timor-Leste focused on mutual respect and economic development.
The Garma remarks followed recent Australian regional diplomacy. On 23 July 2026, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said in Manila that Australia supported the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and ASEAN-centred regional forums. On 29 July 2026, Ministers and Assistant Ministers, DFAT said Australia’s Vietnam partnership covered trade, security and climate adaptation.
The announcements mattered because they linked diplomacy, maritime law and regional development to Indo-Pacific stability. France said the accessions of Kyrgyzstan and Cambodia strengthened the legal framework for seabed resources, according to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Australia’s statements placed cultural ties, governance resilience and economic cooperation within the same regional policy agenda, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
