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Vanuatu has diplomatic relations with more than 65 countries. It has a very small network of embassies. Only Australia, France, New Zealand, and the People's Republic of China have embassies, high commissions, or missions in Port Vila. The British High Commission closed in 2005, after having been there for almost 100 years.

Concerns

The government's main concern has been to improve the economy. It has a strong need for foreign aid, so Vanuatu has joined the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Since 1980, Australia, France, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand have provided most of Vanuatu's development aid.^[1]

Policies

Vanuatu's foreign policy is fairly neutral. It stayed neutral during the Cold War. They have been a member of the Non-Aligned Movement since 1983. However, it has always given strong support for self-determination and decolonisation, especially throughout Melanesia. Vanuatu became independent from France and the United Kingdom in 1980. The first government recognised the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in November of the same year. It recognised the State of Palestine in August 1989. Later governments recognised Kosovo in 2010 and Abkhazia in 2011. Vanuatu has also supported the independence of New Caledonia and East Timor, and it strongly supports the Free Papua Movement in western New Guinea.^[2]^[3]^[4] Its relations with Indonesia have suffered because of this. Relations with Australia and New Zealand are a major focus of Vanuatu's foreign policy.^[5]

History

Vanuatu established diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1983, and Libya in 1986. It established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and the United States in June and September 1986, respectively. Relations with the United States were bad until the late 1980s. Relations with France remained bad throughout the 1980s. Vanuatu under Walter Lini also tried to create strong relations with Asia. By the end of the 1980s, the country had established diplomatic relations with the China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines.^[6]

Australia and Vanuatu have very strong ties. Australia has given most of the help to Vanuatu's military. It is also Vanuatu's largest source of foreign investment, tourists, and foreign aid.^[7] Vanuatu also has strong ties to other Pacific countries.

Memberships

It is a full member of the Pacific Islands Forum, and several other regional organisations. It has been a member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie since 1979. It was admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations in 1980 and to the United Nations in 1981. Vanuatu is currently the only Pacific nation that belongs to the Non-Aligned Movement.