Australia Proposes Africa Trade Boost Measures

Canberra — Australia’s parliamentary committee has recommended measures to strengthen trade and investment with African countries, including expanding diplomatic engagement, improving market intelligence and establishing structured partnerships with African diaspora communities.

The Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade published its report on 19 October following an inquiry into expanding Australia’s economic relations with Africa.

Trade Subcommittee Chair, Fiona Phillips, said the continent offered substantial opportunities for deeper economic cooperation, driven by population growth, urbanisation and regional economic integration.

“The report highlights the substantial opportunities for Australia to deepen and expand its long-standing relations and economic engagement with one of the world’s fastest-growing regions,” Phillips said.

She said Australia had maintained a significant presence in Africa through mining investment, but trade and investment flows remained limited relative to the continent’s wider opportunities.

“While Australia has maintained a substantial, well-respected presence with mining investment, total trade and investment flows remain modest compared with the scale and diversity of opportunities emerging across the African continent,” Phillips said.

The committee recommended a coordinated government strategy focused on priority African regions and commercial sectors, alongside stronger diplomatic and trade representation across the continent.

Phillips said the government needed to provide more structured support for Australian businesses seeking to enter African markets.

“Our report makes 17 recommendations to the Australian Government to address barriers to trade and investment with African nations and unlock emerging opportunities that align with Australia’s many strengths across the resources sector, education and vocational training, agribusiness, digital technologies, supply chain logistics, and healthcare,” she said.

The proposals include establishing an Australia-Africa Advisory Council to advise the government and industry, as well as a formal framework for engaging African diaspora communities in trade and investment discussions.

The committee also called for an Africa market intelligence and risk mitigation initiative to help businesses understand local markets and reduce barriers to entry, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Other recommendations include coordinated trade promotion campaigns, regular trade missions between Australia and African countries, and targeted partnerships in tertiary education and vocational training.

The report identifies the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to deepen economic integration across the continent, as part of the changing environment for Australia-Africa commercial relations.

The recommendations outline possible measures for expanding trade, but their implementation will depend on decisions by the Australian Government.