Perth Welcomes Delegates for Australia-Africa Week 2026 as Bilateral Ties Deepen

The Australia-Africa Week 2026 officially kicked off on Monday night with a welcome reception hosted by Edith Cowan University Vice-Chancellor Professor Clare Pollock at the university’s new Perth CBD campus. The event marked the beginning of a week-long celebration of Australia-Africa connections, bringing together thousands of local, national and international delegates across business, trade and investment, education and research, diaspora communities, and diplomacy.

The welcome reception was held in partnership with a coalition of key organisations, including the Australia Africa Universities Network (AAUN), Africa Down Under, Paydirt Media Pty Ltd, OAC WA, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Government of Western Australia, and the Judith Neilson Foundation.

Attendees listen to the speed from Professor Clare Pollock at the event (photo source Linkedin)

The annual Australia-Africa Week in Perth has grown into a significant national event celebrating the multifaceted connections between Australia and the African continent. According to the Africa Down Under conference organisers, the week comprises a full schedule of satellite events covering research, education, infrastructure, sustainable development, capacity building, energy, and the arts. The week coincides with the 24th edition of the Africa Down Under (ADU) conference, being held from 2‑4 September 2026 at the Pan Pacific in Perth.

Described as “the leading forum for Australian-African business and government relations,” ADU has evolved since its inaugural conference in 2003 to become the largest African‑focused mining event held outside the African continent. The conference serves as the principal pillar of Africa Week, which the organisers describe as “Australia’s week‑long celebration of the strong and growing business, social and cultural ties between Australia and the entire African continent”.

The strengthening of trade, business and investment links between Africa and Australia has been a major focus of the week’s activities. Two‑way goods and services trade between Australia and Africa was valued at $12.7 billion in 2024. The Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade has been examining opportunities to expand and diversify trade and investment with African nations, including enhancing engagement through the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Several African nations have experienced strong economic and population growth in recent years, a trend projected to continue. Recent developments include Australia signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat in June 2025 to promote mutually beneficial partnerships, and Export Finance Australia executing a US$100 million loan to the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund.

Education and research collaboration has emerged as a cornerstone of Australia‑Africa relations. The Australia Africa Universities Network (AAUN), a group of 25 leading universities across both continents, connects academics and early‑career researchers through institutional partnerships to address shared research and development challenges.

Guests at the event (Photo source D. Mickler/Linked in)

The AAUN is hosting its Australia Forum 2026 at ECU City Campus on 1 September 2026. Associate Professor David Mickler, Dean Global, Africa and Founding Director of the Centre for Australia‑Africa Relations at Curtin University, and Co‑Chair of the AAUN, emphasised the significance of the growing relationship between the two continents.

“The Australia‑Africa Week and the Africa Down Under conference have become vital platforms for fostering deeper connections across business, education, and diplomacy,” Associate Professor Mickler said.

A community leader who attended the event told AMA ” What we are seeing is a maturing of the Australia‑Africa relationship that goes well beyond resources and mining. Education, research collaboration, and people‑to‑people links through our diaspora communities are now central pillars of this partnership. The presence of so many delegates from across Africa and Australia here in Perth this week is testament to the growing recognition of the opportunities that exist between our two continents.”

Dr Casey Nyaga, Community leader and president of OACWA speaking during the event (photo source Linked in)

The Centre for Australia‑Africa Relations at Curtin University, launched in 2023, serves as a national hub for advancing Australia‑Africa relations across sectors. Prof Mickler noted that the Centre fills a “critical gap” in Australia’s national academic and policy infrastructure.

The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) is among the institutions strengthening ties during the week, with high‑level engagements at Edith Cowan University culminating in the signing of a Letter of Understanding creating new academic and professional pathways in health‑related fields.

As Perth asserts its position as a global capital for African mining and a driving force of African‑Australian relations, this year’s Australia‑Africa Week continues to build on a relationship that spans business, education, culture, and diplomacy. With thousands of delegates from across both continents gathering in Perth, the week promises to deliver new opportunities for collaboration, investment, and partnership between Australia and the nations of Africa.

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