With the return of Australia’s
Liberal party leader Scott Morrison as Prime Minister, Niue still stands to
benefit from their ‘Step up’ foreign policy on the Pacific.
Premier Sir Toke Talagi has also conveyed his congratulations message to Morrison on his election victory.
Morrison had announced last year in
November Lavarack
Barracks, Townsville, Queensland, his
government intends to open diplomatic missions in Palau, the Marshall Islands,
French Polynesia, Niue and the Cook Islands.
This will mean Australia is
represented in every member country of the Pacific Islands Forum. The
liberal party led government has also deepened their commitment to economic
engagement, with the creation of an Australian Infrastructure Financing
Facility for the Pacific.
This $2 billion infrastructure initiative will significantly boost Australia’s support for infrastructure development in Pacific countries and Timor Leste. Other Pacific commitments include proposing new annual bilateral security meetings and a strong commitment to building Australian naval presence and regional defence capacity.
