  | |
| United Nationsmembership | |
|---|---|
| Represented by | Commonwealth of Australia (1945-present) |
| Membership | Full member |
| Since | 1 November 1945 (1945-11-01) |
| UNSC seat | Non-permanent |
| Permanent Representative | James Larsen |
Australia was one of the founding members of theUnited Nations (UN) in 1945 and has been actively engaged in the organisation since its formation. The UN is seen by theAustralian Government as a means to influence events which directly affect Australia's interests but over which they have little unilateral control.[1]
Australia has a permanentdiplomatic mission to the UN inNew York City along with missions inGeneva,Vienna andNairobi.[2] The Australian Mission is headed by an Ambassador and Permanent Representative and staffed by officers from theDepartment of Foreign Affairs,AusAid, theAustralian Defence Force, theAustralian Federal Police, as well as local employees. The Mission provides the core of Australia's delegation to UN conferences and meetings in New York, including regular and special sessions of theUnited Nations General Assembly. It also participates in the ongoing work of the UN's other organisations, such as theSecurity Council and theEconomic and Social Council, and follows the activities of the UN's specialised agencies and programs.[citation needed]
Australia is the twelfth largest financial contributor to the UN.[3] Australia contributed more than US$87 million in the years 2004 to 2006, with a regular budget of US$22.9 million, peacekeeping costs of approximately US$60 million, and over US$4 million contribution to InternationalTribunals.[citation needed]
Australia has been anelected member of theUnited Nations Security Council on five occasions in the past.[4]H. V. Evatt, a formerOpposition Leader of Australia and prominent figure in theAustralian Labor Party, wasPresident of the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.[citation needed]
| UN Organisation | Terms served |
|---|---|
| UNSC | 1946–1947, 1956–1957, 1973–1974, 1985–1986, 2013–2014 |
| ECOSOC | 1992–1997, 2002–2012, 2016–date |
| UNHRC | 1991–1997, 2003–2006, 2018–2020 |
Australians were the first peacekeepers to serve under United Nations auspices when they sent military observers toIndonesia in 1947 during theindependence struggle.[5] About 65,000 Australian personnel have partaken in more than fifty peacekeeping operations, in about 25 different conflicts.[6] Operations include military observation, monitoring cease-fires, clearing landmines, humanitarian aid and the repatriation of refugees.[citation needed]
Since 1947 Australians have joined peacekeeping operations inCambodia,Korea,Namibia,Rwanda, andSomalia among others. All three services of theAustralian Defence Force, as well as police officers and civilians, have been involved in peacekeeping activities.[citation needed]
The most significant recent involvement from Australian peacekeeping troops is in the newly formed country ofEast Timor. Australia initially offered between 1,000 and 1,300 infantry, threeRoyal Australian Navy ships (HMASManoora andHMASKanimbla already stationed nearby, andHMASTobruk) along with other support capabilities.[7] Australia's involvement in East Timor is throughUNMISET, the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor, andUNOTIL, the United Nations Office in Timor Leste andUNMIT, the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste.[citation needed]
Australia also has peacekeepers from the Australian Defence Force participating in theUnited Nations Mission in Sudan, to support theAfrican Union's Mission inDarfur.[citation needed]
Seven Australians have commanded or led multinational peacekeeping operations. Nine Australian peacekeepers have died on UN missions.[8]
| UN Operation name | UN Operation title | Location | Dates of Australian involvement | Number of Australians involved | Australian role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None[9] | UN Consular Commission | Indonesia | 1947 | 4 | Military observers |
| UNGOC[10] | UN Good Offices Commission | Indonesia | 1947–1949 | About 45ADF personnel | Monitorceasefires and ensure the peace between Dutch and Indonesian nationalists |
| UNCI[10] | UN Commission for Indonesia | Indonesia | 1949–1951 | About 45 ADF personnel | Monitor ceasefires and ensure the peace between Dutch and Indonesian nationalists |
| UNCOK[11] | UN Commission on Korea | Korea | 1950 | 2 | Military observers |
| UNMOGIP[12] | UN Military Observer Group inIndia andPakistan | Kashmir | 1950–1985 | Up to 18 | Military observers and air transport |
| UNCURK[13] | UN Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea | Korea | 1951 | 1 | Military observer |
| UNCMAC[14] | UN Command Military Armistice Commission | Korea | 1953–present | Originally 6, with 2 continually serving. Estimated 68 total | Armistice monitoring |
| UNTSO[15] | UN Truce Supervision Organization | Israel and neighbouringMiddle East countries | 1956–present | Up to 13. Estimated 700 total | Military observers |
| ONUC[12] | Operation des Nations Unies au Congo (UN Operation in the Congo) | Congo | 1960–1961 | Army medical team of 3 seconded to theInternational Red Cross | Medical team |
| UNTEA[12] | UN Temporary Executive Authority | Western New Guinea | 1962–1963 | 4Army pilots, 7RAAF ground crew and 2Sioux helicopters | Cholera eradication program |
| UNYOM[12] | UN Yemen Observation Mission | Yemen | 1963 | 2 | Military observers |
| UNFICYP[16] | UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus | Cyprus | 1964–present | 15Australian Federal Police officers. Estimated 1000 in total | Law and order |
| UNIPOM[12] | UN India-Pakistan Observation Mission | India andPakistan | 1965–1966 | 3; 1 seconded from UNTSO, 2 seconded from UNMOGIP | Military observers |
| UNDOF[12] | UN Disengagement Observer Force | Israel andSyria | 1974 | Several redeployed from UNTSO. None currently | Military observers |
| UNEF II[17] | UN Emergency Force II | Sinai | 1976–1979 | 46RAAF detachment operating 4UH-1 helicopters | Ceasefire monitoring between Israel andEgypt |
| UNIFIL[12] | UN Interim Force in Lebanon | Lebanon | 1978 | A few through detachment from UNTSO | Military observers |
| UNIIMOG[12] | UN Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group | Iran andIraq | 1988–1990 | Up to 16 in Iran only | Military observers |
| UNBRO[12] | UN Border Relief Operation | Thailand/Cambodia border | 1989–1993 | 2Federal Police | Law and order, and police training |
| UNTAG[18] | UN Transition Assistance Group | Namibia | 1989–1990 | 613 in two rotations; 28 electoral supervisors | Engineering support and election supervision |
| UNMCTT[12] | UN Mine Clearance Training Team | Afghanistan andPakistan | 1989–1993 | 10 teams of 6–9 Army field engineers. Estimated 95 total | Demining |
| UNSCOM[19] | UN Special Commission | Iraq | 1991–1999 | Between 2–6 ADF personnel on 3–6-month tours, 1 RAAF Image Analyst on rotation for up to 3 years. Estimated total 96 | Inspection of Iraqi chemical, biological and nuclear weapons capabilities |
| MINURSO[20] | Mission des Nations Unies pour un Referendum au Sahara Occidental (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) | Western Sahara | 1991–1994 | 5 45 person contingents. Total 225 | Communications |
| UNAMIC[21] | UN Advance Mission in Cambodia | Cambodia | 1991–1992 | 65 | Military observers, signals and support |
| UNTAC[21] | UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia | Cambodia | 1992–1993 | Up to 1,215 ADF personnel | Movement Control Group (May - Sep 1992); Force Communications Unit |
| UNOSOM I[22] | UN Operation in Somalia | Somalia | 1992–1993 | 30 | Movement control unit |
| UNITAF[22] | Unified Task Force | Somalia | 1992–1993 | About 1,200. 1Royal Australian RegimentBattalion Group, HQ group, andHMAS Tobruk | Protecting delivery of humanitarian aid, law and order, and establishing functional legal, social and economic systems |
| UNPROFOR[12] | UN Protection Force in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia | Former Yugoslavia | 1992 | Several | Military observers and liaison |
| UNOSOM II[22] | UN Operation in Somalia II | Somalia | 1993–1995 | 36 Movements and Air Traffic Control Staff, 12-man Ready Reaction Security Team (mainly SAS) and HQ staff. 50 personnel per tour, about 250 in total | Movement control unit, HQ staff, security |
| UNAMIR II[23] | UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda | Rwanda | 1994–1995 | More than 600 in 2 contingents | Medical, infantry protection, support troops |
| ONUMOZ[24] | UN Operation in Mozambique | Mozambique | 1994 | 15 police, 4 ADF | Police and demining |
| MINUGUA[12] | UN Verification Mission in Guatemala | Guatemala | 1997 | 1 | Military observer |
| UNAMET[25] | UN Mission in East Timor | East Timor | 1999 | 50 police, 6 military liaison officers | Facilitating referendum |
| INTERFET[25] | International Force East Timor under UN mandate | East Timor | 1999–2000 | 5,500 | Establishing security, facilitating humanitarian aid and reconstruction |
| UNTAET[25] | UN Transitional Administration in East Timor | East Timor | 2000–2002 | Up to 2,000 | maintaining security, facilitating reconstruction |
| UNMEE[26] | United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea | Ethiopia andEritrea | 2000–present | 2 ADF officers, 16 in total | Training mission personnel and mapping |
| UNMISET[27] | UN Mission of Support in East Timor | East Timor | 2002–2005 | Up to 1,600 | Maintaining security, facilitating reconstruction |
| UNMOVIC[28] | UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission for Iraq | Iraq | 2002–2003 | A few trained, two Royal Australian Air Force Armourers deployed to Iraq with one FSGT Michael Avenell taking up a role with UNMOVIC in the UNHQ New York until its disbandment | Weapons inspectors |
| UNAMA[29] | UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan | Afghanistan | 2003–2004 | 1 | Military advisor |
| UNMIS (Operation Azure)[30] | United Nations Mission in the Sudan | Sudan | 2005–present | 15 | Military observers, logistics, air movement controllers |
| UNOTIL (Operation Tower)[31] | United Nations Office in Timor-Leste | East Timor | 2005–present | About 17 | Military and police support |
In March 2008, senior United Nations officials travelled toCanberra to meet Prime MinisterKevin Rudd, elected three months earlier. According toThe Age, the aim was to "repair relations".Hilde Johnson, deputy director ofUNICEF, stated that Rudd was showing "stronger support" for the United Nations and multilateralism than his predecessorJohn Howard had.[32] During Howard's Prime Ministership, UN high commissioner for human rightsMary Robinson had criticised Australia'shuman rights record. Johnson stated that the new Australian government had "explicitly said there's going to be a change, that the government will engage strongly and pro-actively with the UN". For the Australian government,Bob McMullan said that his country's "relationship with the major multi-lateral organisations has deteriorated in a manner that is quite contrary to Australia's long-term interests and needs to be repaired".[33]
| Scale of assessments adopted in UN resolution 67/238 | Contributions (USD) | Scale of assessments for 2016 | Gross contributions (USD) | Credit from staff assessment | Net contributions (USD) | Total contributions (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.074 | $933,300 | 2.337 | $63,103,396 | $5,890,149 | $57,213,247 | $58,146,547 |
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