DFAT indigenous peoples strategy 2015-2019: a framework for action

DFAT has developed a five-year Indigenous Peoples Strategy to align its work on issues affecting indigenous peoples across the foreign policy, aid, trade and corporate objectives for the department. Overview The Australian Government is committed to providing opportunities to assist indigenous peoples —both in Australia and overseas—to overcome social and economic disadvantages. Indigenous peoples make up only 5 per cent of the global population; however they make up 15 per cent of the world’s poor and about one-third of the world’s 900 million extremely poor rural people. Australia’s first peoples are one of the oldest continuous living cultures on Earth. The contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to modern Australian society is an enormous part of what makes our country and who we are. The Australian Government is committed to better engagement with its Indigenous peoples to ensure policies and programmes improve their lives and opportunities across the country. Globally, Australia continues to be a strong advocate for the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples around the world in international matters which affect them. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is committed to ensuring that indigenous peoples benefit from its work. Through a network of 95 overseas posts in 77 countries, and in partnership with government and non-government organisations, business and community groups in Australia and overseas, DFAT leads the Australian Government’s efforts to: advance Australia’s security interests internationally open up new markets and create conditions for increased trade and investment to strengthen Australia’s economy and to create jobs lift living standards and reduce poverty in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond shape the regional and international environment and strengthen global cooperation in ways that advance Australia’s interests project a positive and contemporary image of Australia as a destination for business, investment, tourism and study provide high-quality passport and consular services to Australian citizens. DFAT has developed a five-year Indigenous Peoples Strategy to align its work on issues affecting indigenous peoples across the foreign policy, aid, trade and corporate objectives for the department. The Indigenous Peoples Strategy provides a framework for DFAT to work with its partners to advance and promote the wellbeing of indigenous peoples around the world, in line with Australia’s national interest. DFAT will use the strategy to manage for positive results and continual improvement in its work on issues affecting indigenous peoples. DFAT will assess and disseminate lessons from its work to contribute towards evidence and debate about issues affecting indigenous peoples, both in Australia and overseas. The strategy will be guided by four pillars to achieve this vision: DFAT will work with its partners to influence international policy to advance the interests of indigenous peoples in the international community. DFAT will strive to deliver international programs that improve outcomes for indigenous peoples. DFAT will encourage Indigenous Australians to apply for DFAT-funded opportunities to engage in and develop people-to-people links with the international community. DFAT will ensure an inclusive workplace culture across the department. DFAT’s Indigenous Taskforce is responsible for monitoring the overall implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Strategy. DFAT will conduct a mid-term review of the strategy in 2017 and a final review in 2020

Development for all 2015-2020: strategy for strengthening disability-inclusive development in Australia’s aid program

Disability-inclusive development is a priority for Australia’s international engagement. This strategy – Development for All 2015-2020: Strategy for strengthening disability-inclusive development in Australia’s aid program – responds to the agenda set out in DFAT’s development policy, and aims to promote improved quality of life of people with disabilities in developing countries. Ministerial foreword The Australian Government is committed to playing a leadership role internationally in disability-inclusive development to enable people with disabilities in developing countries to find pathways out of poverty and realise their full potential. Our development policy, Australian aid: promoting prosperity, reducing poverty, enhancing stability, confirms Australia’s commitment to expanding opportunities for people, businesses and communities as key to promoting economic growth and reducing poverty. It recognises that everyone is affected if the most disadvantaged people are left behind, and acknowledges that people with disabilities make up the largest and most disadvantaged minority in the world (comprising 1 in 7 of the global population). The Australian aid policy outlines our continuing commitment to including people with disabilities as participants in and beneficiaries of our aid program. Aid alone cannot solve development problems. Our partner governments need to lead in expanding opportunities for people with disabilities by developing and implementing strong policy and legislative frameworks and improving service delivery. And we recognise we need to tap into ideas from a wider range of sources, including the private sector, and leverage new kinds of partnerships. This new strategy—Development for All 2015–2020: Strategy for strengthening disability-inclusive development in Australia’s aid program—builds on experience in implementing the Australian Government’s first strategy for disability-inclusive development1, which helped establish Australia as a strong voice globally in this area. This strategy sets out how the Australian Government—in particular, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)—will strengthen its impact in promoting disability-inclusive development beyond 2015, with a particular focus on our region, the Indo-Pacific. Australia’s international advocacy, diplomatic efforts, and aid program investments will continue to make a major contribution to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities in developing countries with the objective that our development efforts leave no one behind

Composition of trade Australia 2014

The authoritative compendium of statistics on merchandise exports and imports, this publication analyses the growth, direction and commodity breakdown of Australia\u27s trade over the past three years. It also includes individual reports showing the composition of trade with Australia\u27s top 25 trading partners and selected country groups. Also included is a section on Australia\u27s trade in services

Effectively Engaging Diasporas Under the New Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

With the amalgamation of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) into a new Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), new opportunities will emerge for a coherent approach to diaspora engagement initiatives that combine the existing policy directions under a single umbrella. DFATD should work with diasporas in Canada to facilitate and improve engagement with the sending regions. This engagement can occur through current programs, as well as the creation of a new pilot project requiring cooperation between the different policy approaches. Engagement should vary according to the different levels of formal government diasporic engagement of the sending countries, as countries with weak government engagement will require policy approaches distinct from countries with strong government engagement

Peacebuilding: A broad review of approaches, policies and practices

This background paper has been produced for a workshop on “Civil society views on next generation peacebuilding and conflict prevention policy and programming issues and responses”, convened by Peacebuild in Ottawa on March 14, 2011 with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Leadership versus organisational performance within the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Thesis (MPA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.The process of leading and managing the worldwide network of Embassies and High Commissions within the South African Department of Foreign Affairs is extremely challenging. It requires knowledge of globalisation and the utilisation of information technology. This knowledge would enable leaders to respond more rapidly and across geographic boundaries, thereby enhancing efficiency within the Department of Foreign Affairs. The speed, accuracy and efficiency of the staff will, however, depend increasingly on leadership as a guided process, which brings out the best in subordinates, exposing their creative talents, skills and qualities that will enhance the image of South Africa, internationally. In this study, an overview of public administration will be given, as the Department of Foreign Affairs is a public institution and is governed by the normative guidelines of public administration. The theories of leadership will be outlined and evaluated. These theories date from the 1950's up to contemporary studies in leadership, which illustrates the changing patterns of leading with changing times and the utilisation of technology in task accomplishment. An overall structure of the Department of Foreign Affairs is outlined, tracing South Africa's foreign policy from the apartheid era to post 1994. The study also demonstrates the effects of changed government policy and its impact on the functioning and makeup of the Department. Theories of organisational performance and quality management, as well as the principles of "Batho Pele" zie. outlined, and their relevance to the functioning of the Department of Foreign Affairs, is given impetus. In this study, research was conducted among sixty officials of different ranks at ten different South African Missions across the world. The results of the survey indicate the dire need for leaders who understand the importance of leadership, and how their leadership styles impact on organisational efficiency and service delivery. A range of recommendations are proposed for diplomatic leaders to personally take responsibility for creating an environment where routine jobs become more meaningful, where the human spirit becomes liberated, and where people are transformed from positions of working to live to living to work

Development of country strategies for Japan, China, Indonesia, India and South Korea

This Submission to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade concerns the interests of the Australian legal profession in 5 target jurisdictions Japan, China, Indonesia, India and South Korea

The Only Absolute Guarantee

Doug Roche and Erika Simpson (on behalf of the Canadian Pugwash Group) presented this report to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade “Dialogue on Foreign Policy

Examining the impact of Australia Awards around the world

ACER is evaluating the long-term contributions of Australia Awards alumni through the Global Tracer Facility funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Dan Edwards reports

Submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) Negotiations

This submission to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) Negotiations sets out the views and interest of the Law Council of Australia in relation to the proposed Trade in Services Agreement negotiations