Visit to Vanuatu

Today I will travel to Vanuatu to meet with Prime Minister Jotham Napat and other senior ministers in the new Government of Vanuatu.

I look forward to discussing the deep ties between the people of Australia and Vanuatu, and our enduring commitment to strengthen our close economic, development and security partnership.

Our partnership is grounded in mutual respect and a shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous region.

Vanuatu – and specifically Port Vila – continues to recover from the devastating earthquake in December 2024.

Two months on, our thoughts continue to be with those who lost loved ones and those recovering their livelihoods, homes and businesses.

Australia is proud to have provided $17 million in immediate support, sending emergency supplies and medical assistance, humanitarian specialists and disaster response teams to work alongside Vanuatu’s first responders. I will discuss with Prime Minister Napat how Australia can continue to support ongoing response efforts.

As communities recover, we’re also supporting initiatives to help Vanuatu to be ready for similar events in future and to re-build better than before.

Recovery will take time, but Australia will be with Vanuatu each step of the way.

We stand stronger together. Tugeta yumi stanap.