Policy Updates

The Australian government announced an AUD2.5 million (US$2 million) climate resilience package and signed three memoranda of understanding with the Federated States of Micronesia on maritime security and policing cooperation during the first official bilateral visit by a Federated States of Micronesia head of state in nearly 30 years.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy welcomed Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley Simina to Canberra on March 24, 2026. Australia and the Federated States of Micronesia signed three memoranda of understanding: one to enhance maritime security cooperation, enabling the Federated States of Micronesia to access support under Australia's increased investment in regional maritime security partnerships, and two to implement the Pacific Policing Initiative, the key policing cooperation mechanism in the Pacific.

Australia and the Federated States of Micronesia also announced an AUD2.5 million (US$2 million) climate resilience package drawn from the existing bilateral development budget. The package will support girls and children with disabilities in accessing safe drinking water and basic sanitation in schools, and fund upgrades to emergency evacuation shelters. Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to climate action, including a Pacific Pre-:abbrCOP in Fiji and a leaders' side visit to Tuvalu.

On March 21, 2026, The Australian government announced AUD5 million (US$4 million) in additional humanitarian assistance for civilians affected by the conflict in Lebanon, bringing total Australian humanitarian assistance for civilians affected by the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon to over AUD135 million (US$96 million) since October 2023.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and International Development Minister Anne Aly announced funding will focus on the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. Funding will be delivered through two partners:

• AUD3 million (US$2 million) to the WFP for emergency food assistance; and
• AUD2 million (US$1 million) to UNICEF for nutrition assistance, access to water, and health services.

On January 29, 2026, Australia announced AUD50 million (US$36 million) in humanitarian support to Afghanistan, bringing total assistance since the fall of Kabul in 2021 to AUD310 million (US$220 million), with delivery through the World Food Programme and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for International Development Anne Aly stated nearly 22 million people in Afghanistan required urgent humanitarian support amid one of the world's worst protracted humanitarian crises. The ministers emphasized the Taliban's oppression of women and girls, including limiting access to employment, medical services, education, and public life.

Australia has focused the assistance on supporting women and girls, prioritizing food security, health services, and protecting dignity, safety, and rights.

On January 23, 2026, Australia announced an additional AUD10 million (US$7 million) to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund to help restore electricity supply and maintain critical infrastructure.

The additional funding brought Australia's total contribution to the fund to AUD40 million (US$28 million). The fund has enabled Ukraine's energy sector to undertake urgent repairs and replace damaged equipment.

International Development Minister Anne Aly noted that the additional support would provide power for Ukrainian families during the harshest winter since the invasion began. Australia has provided more than AUD1.7 billion (US$1.2 billion) in military, humanitarian, economic, and energy assistance to Ukraine since February 2022.

Australia announced AUD5 million (US$3 million) in additional emergency assistance on December 4, 2025, to support communities affected by cyclones and flooding across the Indo-Pacific region, bringing the country's total humanitarian response to over AUD14 million (US$9 million) since October 2024.

Australia has allocated AUD2.5 million (US$2 million) specifically for Sri Lanka in response to Cyclone Ditwah, increasing Australia's total support for the country to AUD3.5 million (US$2 million). The funding supported emergency relief supplies, shelter, food, water, sanitation, health, and education services for displaced communities. Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Minister for International Development Anne Aly emphasized that the assistance prioritized vulnerable groups, including women, girls, and people with disability. Australia delivered the support through Australian NGOs and the UN in coordination with affected countries.

Cyclones, floods, earthquakes, and landslides affected communities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam in recent weeks. The Australian government described the funding as part of the country's commitment to serve as a reliable partner across the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia announced AUD50 million (US$33 million) on December 3, 2025, to strengthen disability rights movements across the Indo-Pacific region through a new initiative called Stronger Movements, Stronger Futures, representing the country's largest international investment dedicated to disability.

The Australian Government designed the initiative to ensure people with disability remain at the center of policy and decision-making at national, regional, and global levels. Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Minister for International Development Anne Aly stated that the investment aligned with Australia's International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy, which the government released in November 2024. Australia partnered with three organizations of people with disability for the initiative: the International Disability Alliance, Pacific Disability Forum, and ASEAN Disability Forum.

The Australian government announced the funding on International Day of People with Disability. Wong and Aly emphasized that the initiative reflected Australia's commitment to removing barriers and creating opportunities for full participation in society, noting that inclusive societies demonstrate greater potential for economic growth and social cohesion.

On Decembr 2, 2025, donors pledged US$1.2 billion at the annual UNHCR Pledging Conference in Geneva for 2026 operations, slightly above the 2025 pledge and covering nearly 18% of UNHCR's projected funding needs.

UNHCR's National Partners committed an additional US$350 million from private sector fundraising, bringing total pledges to US$1.5 billion. Several governments confirmed multi-year contributions extending into 2027 and beyond to strengthen UNHCR's long-term planning.

UNHCR Comissioner Filippo Grandi stated that early and flexible funding provided a lifeline to respond quickly to new emergencies and deliver solutions in neglected crises. Top government contributors included Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway, with substantially increased contributions from Ireland, Luxembourg, and Iceland. The European Union confirmed significant funding already committed for 2026, while Austria and Spain joined the group of governments pledging support to UNHCR.

Unearmarked funding pledged dropped to 17% of total pledges, nearly half of 2023 levels, while earmarked funding for specific countries and activities increased. Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland pledged the largest amounts of unearmarked funding.

On November 27, 2025, Australia announced AUD48 million (US$32 million) to support Pacific Island countries in managing increasing HIV infections through technical assistance, disease surveillance, and co-investment in national public health responses.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy, and Minister for International Development Anne Aly jointly announced the program ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1. The officials stated that rising rates of HIV and co-infections like tuberculosis are placing increased pressure on Pacific health systems, societies, and economies, and they reaffirmed Australia's support to ending the global AIDS epidemic by 2030.

The funding will assist Pacific governments to contain the spread of HIV by sharing Australian knowledge and expertise and investing in community-led responses. The announcement complemented broader and longstanding Australian support to strengthen national health systems in the region and beyond.

The program will focus on partnering with Pacific countries to reduce HIV transmission and support people living with HIV. Australia has committed to co-investing with Pacific partners to strengthen nationally led HIV responses and advance resilient health systems capable of responding effectively to HIV.

Australia announced on November 25, 2025 that it will contribute AUD25 million (US$16 million) in funding over five years to strengthen gender-based violence response services through the PAVE initiative, partnering with 11 crisis centers across nine Pacific island countries.

The announcement took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The initiative, known as PAVE, will expand essential services for survivors of gender-based violence in the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized that gender-based violence impacts two out of three Pacific women, more than double the global average, with lasting effects including injuries, disability, unplanned pregnancies, disease, and lost productivity. Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy, International Development Minister Anne Aly, and Assistant Pacific Island Affairs Minister Nita Green highlighted Australia's commitment to Pacific-led solutions and safer communities.

On November 21, 2025The Global Fund held its Eighth Replenishment Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, co-hosted by the governments of South Africa and the UK on the margins of the G20 Leaders' Summit, securing US$11.3 billion in pledges to sustain the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Partners from more than 30 countries pledged support to save lives and strengthen systems for health, marking the first replenishment held on African soil. The summit demonstrated global solidarity despite fiscal tightening, conflict, and global uncertainty, though total pledges fell short of the ambitious target set in the Investment Case and several donors had yet to confirm their pledges.

The US, the Global Fund's largest donor, committed US$4.6 billion. The UK pledged GBP850 million (US$1.1 billion), while Germany confirmed EUR1 billion (US$1.2 billion) and Canada pledged CAD1.02 billion (US$723 million). France noted that its support remained unchanged. Spain increased its pledge to EUR145 million (US$167 million), Italy pledged EUR150 million (US$173 million), the Netherlands contributed EUR146 million (US$169 million), and additional pledges came from many other donors. South Africa committed US$37 million, including US$10 million from the private sector. African countries made solidarity commitments totaling US$52 million. G20 member states reached US$9 billion in commitments.

Within the private sector, the Gates Foundation pledged US$912 million, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation pledged US$135 million, and (RED) committed US$75 million. Overall, private sector support reached US$1.3 billion.