Australian Embassy
United Arab Emirates

Ambassador\'s Welcome

Ambassador's Welcome
 


 

Thank you for visiting the Australian Embassy website. In recognition of the increasing importance of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to Australia, the Australian Embassy was established in Abu Dhabi in 1999 with diplomatic accreditation to the State of Qatar.

Since 1999 Australia’s relationships with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have produced significant cooperation in areas of notable strategic importance. Our relationships span a wide variety of areas such as defence and security issues to aviation, health and education. With almost 100 flights per week to Australia from the UAE and Qatar, our country is increasingly seen as an attractive destination for investment, tourism and tertiary education for over 1700 students from the United Arab Emirates. At the same time our trade relationships have increased dramatically to $4.2 billion in bilateral trade with the United Arab Emirates in 2009 and $625 million in bilateral trade with Qatar in 2009. Inward investment is also significant. Additional information can be found at the weblinks noted below.

The breadth of our relationship is reflected by the number of Commonwealth Government Departments represented in the United Arab Emirates including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Department of Defence, including an Australian Defence Force base near Dubai, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Infrastructure. State Government representation includes offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. Please see State Government links on this website for more information.

Australia’s relationships with the UAE and Qatar are built on substantial people-to-people linkages. Approximately 16,000 Australians live and work in the United Arab Emirates and 3,000 Australians reside in Qatar. The Australian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Australian Consulate-General in Dubai strive to provide high quality services to Australians living in and travelling through the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Please find more information through our section on Services to Australians.

Our young nations recognise the potential for further mutual benefit and this is being explored through frequent and high level visits between our countries. In February 2010 the Australian Government welcomed His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, on his official visit to Australia. And in January 2009 and April 2010 the United Arab Emirates hosted visits by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC. The Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, Senator the Hon Nick Sherry and Senator the Hon Kim Carr also visited the United Arab Emirates in 2010, as did the Premier of Victoria, the Hon John Brumby MP.

I hope you find this website a useful starting point for information on Australia, the bilateral relationship and services to Australian citizens.


Doug Trappett
Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar