On Tuesday 24 March, the European Union and Australia formalised the creation of a Strategic Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), strengthening an already close cooperation in the face of global geopolitical challenges (see other news).
The agreement was virtually signed by the EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas, as well as by the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong.
For Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: “We have therefore decided to step up cooperation on defence industry, counter-terrorism, space and maritime security. We are joining forces to fight back against hybrid threats to our democracies. Because we are both confronted with disinformation, and wider attempts to erode public trust. Here too, we must build the collective resilience of our societies”.
This is in fact the twelfth partnership of this type. “We’ve already signed a few in the region, notably with Japan, the Republic of Korea and, more recently, India”, said one European official. On the same day, the EU also sealed a similar agreement with Ghana (see EUROPE 13835/3).
The partnership is based on a robust institutional framework:
- security and defence dialogues to coordinate strategic priorities and translate shared values into concrete action;
- strengthening cooperation in crisis management and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, including exercises, training and education;
- maritime security, cyber security and the fight against hybrid threats, as well as protection against the manipulation of foreign information;
- coordination on emerging and disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence, space security, non-proliferation and disarmament;
- a flexible, forward-looking approach that will enable the EU and Australia to deepen their cooperation as security challenges evolve. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur with Pauline Denys)