Australia–Senegal relations

Australia–Senegal relations
Map indicating locations of Australia and Senegal

Australia
Senegal
Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to Senegal (A$ millions) since 1988[1]

Bilateral relations exist between Australia and Senegal.

Diplomacy

Until 2004 Australia's High Commissioner to Nigeria was accredited to Senegal (along with Ghana and the Gambia).[2] Bob Whitty held this position from January 2001, followed by Iain Cameron Dickie from February 2004.[2] In 2004 an Australian High Commission was opened in Ghana,[3] and the High Commissioner was accredited to Senegal (along with Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone and Togo).[4] Jonathan Richardson was the first High Commissioner in this role,[3] then William Williams held the position until February 2012, when he was replaced by Joanna Adamson.[4]

Senegal is currently accredited to Australia through its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.[5]

It was announced in May 2012 that Australia would establish an embassy in Dakar, Senegal,[6] which would be the first Australian embassy in a French-speaking African nation.[7] This promise helped to deliver African votes for Australia to obtain a seat on the United Nations Security Council in October 2012.[8] In May 2013, the promise was indefinitely delayed due to budget cuts at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Gillard Government.[8]

Trade

Senegal's 2003 mining code is based on those of Australia and Canada.[9] Senegal's Director of Mines and Geology actively promotes Australian mining investment.[10] Several mining companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange including BHP,[11] Mineral Deposits Limited,[12] Bassari Resources,[10] Erin Resources,[9] and First Australian Resources (partnered with Petrosen, Senegal's national oil company),[13][14] have projects in Senegal, primarily mining gold, mineral sands,[15] and oil and gas.[13]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Relations of Australia and Senegal.

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013, ‘Senegal – Merchandise Exports, Country and Country Groups, FOB Value’, table 14a, International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia, cat. no. 5368.0, ABS, Canberra, December, column 191.
  2. ^ a b "Australia names new envoy to Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia", BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, BBC Worldwide Limited, 12 February 2004
  3. ^ a b Downer, Alexander (30 June 2004). "New Australian High Commission in Ghana". Minister for Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  4. ^ a b "New Aussie ambassadors for Ghana, Croatia", AAP Bulletin Wire, Australian Associated Press Pty Limited, 28 September 2012
  5. ^ "Vice-Regal". The Canberra Times. 16 August 1989. p. 8. Retrieved 20 February 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (9 May 2012). "Opening of new Embassy in Senegal, media release, 9 May 2012, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs". Foreignminister.gov.au. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Senegal embassy will be hub for Australia". The Australian. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  8. ^ a b Flitton, Daniel (13 May 2013). "Senegal embassy promise goes sour". The Age.
  9. ^ a b "Erin Resources: Bouroubourou projects, Senegal", AAP Finance News Wire, Australian Associated Press, 30 October 2013
  10. ^ a b Andrews, Mark (October 2011). "Senegal opens door to Australian investors". Australia's Paydirt. 1 (188): 86.
  11. ^ "Barrick among recipients of gold permits in Senegal", National Post, Canada: Infomart, a division of Postmedia Network Inc., 26 March 1999
  12. ^ "Senegal: President Wade Inaugurates Gold Mine in South East", AFP (World Service), Agence France-Presse, 4 June 2009
  13. ^ a b Chambers, Matt (2 August 2013). "ConocoPhillips signs on to FAR Senegal offshore drill". The Australian. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  14. ^ "Shell says not to move on FAR's Senegal oil project", AAP Finance News Wire, Australian Associated Press, 24 August 2009
  15. ^ "Australia to establish embassy in Senegal; Foreign Minister Bob Carr says Australia is establishing its first embassy in French-speaking West Africa.", ABC Premium News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 9 May 2012