This week, I will travel to South Africa to represent the Australian Government at the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers' Meeting (TIMM) in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).
I look forward to meeting with my G20 counterparts to advance Australia's trade interests.
The TIMM will provide an opportunity to build momentum for WTO reform and reinforce the importance of an open, rules-based global trading system.
Australia places great value on the G20 as the premier forum for global economic cooperation on shared challenges, and for pursuing strong, sustainable and inclusive growth.
The G20 brings together the world's major economies representing 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world's population.
In Gqeberha, I will also chair the annual Ministerial Meeting of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC).
The Australian Government is committed to backing our steel industry – which is why we are leading efforts for collective action in GFSEC in response to the deepening global excess capacity crisis.
I will also travel to Nairobi for my first bilateral visit to Kenya for meetings with senior government leaders, business stakeholders and key non-government organisations.
This will be an opportunity to strengthen our long-term partnership as we celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations in 2025.
Kenya is Australia's second largest trading partner in Africa with two-way trade and investment valued at over $1 billion in 2024.
Over 8,500 Kenyan students are currently studying in Australia, and over 27,000 Australians visited Kenya in 2024. Tens of thousands of people of Kenyan ancestry make a significant contribution to Australia's multicultural society.
I welcome the opportunity to continue Australia's warm bilateral relations with Kenya and growing our long-term partnership.