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Australia's Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs, Anne Aly, will visit India and Bangladesh this week as part of the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Government's efforts to deepen ties across the Indian Ocean region.
According to a release by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday, in India, Aly is set to engage with senior political figures and multi-faith leaders to reinforce Australia's growing people-to-people connections with the country. With nearly one million Australians of Indian ancestry now residing in Australia, she said these community linkages remain a vital pillar of the bilateral relationship. During her visit, Aly will also deliver a keynote address at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, focusing on the significant contributions of Indian-Australian communities to shaping Australia's multicultural identity and strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. The Minister's visit is seen as an extension of Australia's broader strategy to build meaningful partnerships with key players in the Indian Ocean region, anchored in mutual respect, shared values, and inclusive development. Before arriving in India, Minister Aly will travel to Bangladesh to launch the new Australia-Bangladesh Development Partnership Plan 2025-2030. The plan reflects Australia's ongoing commitment to supporting Bangladesh's transition to a democratic and inclusive future. While in Bangladesh, Aly will also visit the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, home to over 1.1 million displaced Rohingya people in what is the largest and most complex humanitarian crisis in the region. She will witness firsthand the ongoing efforts supported by Australia to assist both the displaced communities and their Bangladeshi hosts. Reaffirming Australia's commitment to the humanitarian response, Aly announced that the Australian Government will provide an additional USD 370 million over the next three years for assistance to Myanmar and displaced Rohingya communities. This takes Australia's total support to over USD 1.26 billion since 2017. "These visits are a demonstration of the Albanese Government's commitment to working with our Indian Ocean partners to shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous region," Minister Aly said in the statement. (ANI)
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