UN General Assembly
2023

Australia also recognizes that the multilateral development banks and bilateral donors need to do more to harness the capital, innovation and energy of the private sector. Therefore, last month, we launched Australian Development Investments, a 250 million Australian dollar impact investment fund to do just that. And we have launched Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. responding to calls from our regional partners for Australia to play a bigger role in their pursuit of economic opportunity, development and growth, which will support our shared security and prosperity. All our efforts are aimed at helping countries to build their own resilience and sovereignty to ensure countries are not held back by unsustainable debt. Australia’s investments are a statement of its belief that social and economic progress are preconditions for peace, just as peace is a precondition for progress. Peace is not a gift, and it is never a given. We are called on to play our part in diplomatic reassurance, economic development and military deterrence, all contributing to keeping and building peace.