Australia–France relations
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2008) |
Australia |
France |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Australia, Paris | Embassy of France, Canberra |
The two countries maintain diplomatic relations in each other's countries. France is also one of Australia's closest neighbours with less than 700 km separating the two countries between New Caledonia and Norfolk Island.
History
The legacy of Australian involvement on French soil in the First and Second World War plays an important role in the bilateral relationship. Over 45,000 Australians lost their lives on French soil in the two conflicts. Each year many Australians travel to the Western Front to commemorate the thousands of Australians who were killed and injured there in World War I.
Dialogue and practical cooperation between France and Australia has been strengthening on many fronts in recent years[
Both countries experienced strained relations when Australia enacted sanctions on France from 1983–1986 and again on 1995–1996.[1]
There has been an expansion of the defence relationship between Australia and France in recent years. On 14 December 2006 a new Defence Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed, providing a framework for further cooperation. Australia and France regularly participate in combined force training exercises and France provided support to the Australian-led
Institutional links are encouraged within the framework of the 1977 Australia–France Agreement on Cultural and Scientific Cooperation. The Australian Embassy in Paris administers the Australia–France Foundation, which promotes cultural exchanges between the two countries and publishes a quarterly newsletter 'L'Australie en France' promoting Australian activities in France. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Cultural Awards Scheme has also promoted cultural relations between Australia and France.
Australia has made a significant contribution to the
Australia and France have maritime borders between their territories. The locations of these boundaries were formalised through the Australia–France Marine Delimitation Agreement which came into effect on 10 January 1983.
In August 2009,
In April 2016, the Australian Government decided to purchase the
During a 2018 visit to Australia, President Emmanuel Macron stated his desire to create a strategic alliance between France, Australia and India, in the Indo-Pacific region.[10]
In response to Australia joining the
In February 2022, the updated version of France's Indo-Pacific strategy stated France would cooperate with Australia on a case-by-case basis; officially removing it from the list of its strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region. French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian at the time called the pact a “stab in the back”. “Australia’s decision in September 2021, without prior consultation or warning, to break off the partnership of trust with France that included the Future Submarine Programme (FSP), has led to a re‐evaluation of the past strategic partnership [between] the two countries,” the French government explains.[14]
Following the 2022 Australian federal election, the newly-elected Labor government led by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed to pay €555 million (US$584 million) in compensation to Naval Group for the cancelled submarine deal. In response, French defense minister Sébastien Lecornu welcomed the settlement and expressed France's willingness to rebuild its relationship with Australia. In addition, Albanese announced plans to travel to France to reset bilateral relations between Australia and France.[15][16][17]
Tourism
Tourist links between the two countries are significant, with over 400,000 Australians visiting France each year. Almost 98,000 visitor visas were granted to French nationals to visit Australia in 2005–2006, making France the 10th largest source of visitor visa grants, and 1,867 student visas were granted. A working holiday-maker agreement signed between the two countries in November 2003 makes it easier for young French and Australian people to spend time in each other's countries. In 2005–2006, 6,126 Australian working holiday visas were granted to French nationals, making France the 7th largest source of working holiday visitors, and 483 were granted to Australians.
French influence on Australia
Some of France's strongest cultural influences on Australia have been in the fields of viticulture (wine-making) and cheese-making.
Politically, the relationship between France and Australia has remained strong throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Public sentiment took a dive, however, in the 1970s during the French nuclear testing in the Pacific on Moruroa. During this period, there was a boycott of French wines, French restaurants and other things associated with France, such as items on menus.[citation needed] There was also a union ban on mail to France. Another strain in the relationship took place following the French sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace boat, in New Zealand in the 1980s.[citation needed]
French is still one of the most commonly taught foreign languages at Australian high schools, though, as an optional course, very few students continue to study it through to completion. Thus, it is rare to find people who are truly fluent in the language. Telopea Park School, an Australian public school, recognised and supported by the French government, is a unique education partnership in Australia.[18]
There has been a strong growth over the past five years[
Treaties
A significant number of
Resident diplomatic missions
- Australia has an embassy in Paris and has consulates-general in Nouméa, New Caledonia and in Papeete, French Polynesia.[21]
- France has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.[22]
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Embassy of Australia in Paris
-
Embassy of France in Canberra
See also
- Embassy of Australia, Paris
- French Australians
- Wallis and Futuna
- List of ambassadors of Australia to France
- List of ambassadors of France to Australia
References
- ISBN 9780881325362.
- ^ "Australia & France to increase defence ties in the Pacific", ABC Radio Australia, 17 September 2008
- ^ "Aboriginal Works on the Roof and Ceilings". www.quaibranly.fr. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "President Sarkozy to make history on visit to Australia", The Times, 26 May 2009
- ^ "French President Nicolas Sarkozy to visit Australia" Archived 27 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Courier Mail, 24 May 2009
- ^ Pianegonda, Elise; Gul, Jonathon (19 November 2014). "French president Francois Hollande backs Australian military alliance and possible free trade deal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Henderson, Anna (26 April 2016). "Australian submarines to be built in Adelaide after French company DCNS wins $50b contract". ABC News. ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ^ Tillett, Andrew (5 October 2017). "Submarine deal leads to revolution in Australian-French naval relations". Australian Financial Review. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ a b c Shear, Michael D. (17 September 2021). "France recalls its ambassadors to the U.S. and Australia to protest Biden's submarine deal". The New York Times.
- ^ Vey, Jean-Baptiste; Rose, Michel (2 May 2018). Grebler, Dan (ed.). "Macron wants strategic Paris-Delhi-Canberra axis amid Pacific tension". Reuters.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called for the creation of a new strategic alliance among France, India and Australia to respond to challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the growing assertiveness of China.
- ^ Foley, Mike (20 October 2021). "'No second planet': France urges Australia to greater climate action". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ABC News Australia. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- )
- ^ Stone, Jon (23 February 2022). "France dumps Australia as 'strategic partner' over deal with Britain and US". The Independent. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ Engels, Jorge; Kwon, Jake; Ravindran, Jeevan (11 June 2022). "France commits to rebuilding relationship with Australia after failed submarine deal". CNN. Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Australia agrees payout to end France submarine spat". Al Jazeera. 11 June 2022. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Doran, Matthew (11 June 2022). "Australian government agrees to pay $835 million to French submarine contractor Naval Group over cancelled contract". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the French Republic concerning the Establishment of a French - Australian School in Canberra (1983) ATS 8". www3.austlii.edu.au. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ Massola, James (9 July 2017). "Turnbull, Macron fly in to Paris as Trump left out in the cold at G20 on climate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ "Australia to get nuclear subs in new US, British partnership". France 24. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ Embassy of Australia in Paris
- ^ Embassy of France in Canberra
External links
- France Country Brief at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government