# Foreign relations of Brunei

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Brunei maintains diplomatic relations with 170 out of 193 countries, joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, one week after resuming full independence, and gives its ASEAN membership the highest priority in its foreign relations. Brunei joined the United Nations in September 1984. It is also a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the Commonwealth of Nations. Brunei hosted the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2000. In 2005 it attended the inaugural East Asia Summit.
Brunei has a number of diplomatic missions abroad and has close relations with Singapore, sharing an interchangeable currency regime as well as close military relations with the latter island-state. Aside from relations with other ASEAN states, of which the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia are key partners, Brunei also has extensive relations with the Muslim world and the Arab world outside its own region.

## International organizations

Brunei became a member state of the Commonwealth in 1984, ASEAN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 1984, the 7th member of the ASEAN-Japan Centre in 1990, the 159th United Nations member on 21 September 1985, a major player in BIMP-EAGA in 1994, and a founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. Since 2009, Brunei and the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that seeks to strengthen the bilateral co-operation of the two countries in the fields of agriculture and farm-related trade and investments.

## Diplomatic relations

Brunei maintains diplomatic relations with the following countries:
Date :
| 1 | Australia | 1 January 1984 |
| 2 | Chile | 1 January 1984 |
| 3 | Indonesia | 1 January 1984 |
| 4 | Malaysia | 1 January 1984 |
| 5 | Philippines | 1 January 1984 |
| 6 | Singapore | 1 January 1984 |
| 7 | South Korea | 1 January 1984 |
| 8 | Thailand | 1 January 1984 |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 1 January 1984 |
| 10 | Germany | 30 January 1984 |
| 11 | Nepal | 3 February 1984 |
| 12 | Pakistan | 9 February 1984 |
| 13 | United States | 10 March 1984 |
| 14 | Oman | 24 March 1984 |
| 15 | Maldives | 31 March 1984 |
| 16 | Japan | 2 April 1984 |
| 17 | Sri Lanka | 3 April 1984 |
| 18 | Papua New Guinea | 1 May 1984 |
| 19 | Egypt | 2 May 1984 |
| 20 | Belgium | 3 May 1984 |
| 21 | Bangladesh | 5 May 1984 |
| 22 | New Zealand | 5 May 1984 |
| 23 | Canada | 7 May 1984 |
| 24 | France | 8 May 1984 |
| 25 | India | 10 May 1984 |
| 26 | Brazil | 8 June 1984 |
| 27 | Turkey | 27 June 1984 |
| 28 | Spain | June 1984 |
| 29 | Norway | 12 October 1984 |
| 30 | Switzerland | November 1984 |
| 31 | Yemen | 28 December 1984 |
| 32 | Sweden | 1984 |
| 33 | Jordan | 18 February 1985 |
| 34 | Netherlands | 27 April 1985 |
| 35 | Austria | 2 December 1985 |
| 36 | Greece | 6 May 1986 |
| 37 | Ireland | 6 May 1986 |
| 38 | Malta | 15 August 1986 |
| 39 | Saudi Arabia | 1 July 1987 |
| 40 | Morocco | 28 May 1988 |
| 41 | Bahrain | 24 September 1988 |
| 42 | Finland | 11 November 1988 |
| 43 | Italy | 2 November 1989 |
| 44 | Denmark | 6 February 1990 |
| 45 | Iran | 1 May 1990 |
| 46 | Iraq | 1 May 1990 |
| 47 | Kuwait | 1 May 1990 |
| 48 | Mali | 1 May 1990 |
| 49 | Niger | 1 May 1990 |
| 50 | Seychelles | 1 May 1990 |
| 51 | Tonga | 1 May 1990 |
| 52 | Tunisia | 1 May 1990 |
| 53 | Peru | 1 June 1990 |
| 54 | Guyana | 20 June 1990 |
| 55 | Mauritius | 2 July 1990 |
| 56 | China | 30 September 1991 |
| 57 | Russia | 1 October 1991 |
| 58 | Mexico | 2 October 1991 |
| 59 | Qatar | 2 October 1991 |
| 60 | Senegal | 25 November 1991 |
| 61 | Ghana | 10 December 1991 |
| 62 | Honduras | 20 December 1991 |
| 63 | Burkina Faso | 21 January 1992 |
| 64 | Hungary | 21 January 1992 |
| 65 | Federated States of Micronesia | 23 February 1992 |
| 66 | Vietnam | 29 February 1992 |
| 67 | Czech Republic | 2 March 1992 |
| 68 | Colombia | 24 March 1992 |
| 69 | Argentina | 24 April 1992 |
| 70 | Mongolia | 18 May 1992 |
| 71 | Solomon Islands | 21 May 1992 |
| 72 | United Arab Emirates | 28 May 1992 |
| 73 | Cambodia | 9 June 1992 |
| 74 | San Marino | 10 June 1992 |
| 75 | Madagascar | 20 October 1992 |
| 76 | Nigeria | 1 December 1992 |
| 77 | Eswatini | 26 January 1993 |
| 78 | Laos | 27 July 1993 |
| 79 | Myanmar | 21 September 1993 |
| 80 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 25 January 1994 |
| 81 | Albania | 27 January 1994 |
| 82 | Benin | 1 March 1994 |
| 83 | Bulgaria | 14 April 1994 |
| 84 | Costa Rica | 14 April 1994 |
| 85 | Romania | 15 April 1994 |
| 86 | Lebanon | 18 May 1994 |
| — | State of Palestine | 3 June 1994 |
| 87 | Ivory Coast | 3 June 1994 |
| 88 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 June 1994 |
| 89 | Zimbabwe | 7 September 1994 |
| 90 | Uruguay | 19 September 1994 |
| 91 | Algeria | 24 January 1995 |
| 92 | Sierra Leone | 10 July 1995 |
| 93 | Azerbaijan | 24 November 1995 |
| 94 | Marshall Islands | 17 January 1996 |
| 95 | Kyrgyzstan | 15 March 1996 |
| 96 | Poland | 20 March 1996 |
| 97 | Portugal | 22 March 1996 |
| 98 | Panama | 28 March 1996 |
| 99 | Paraguay | 8 April 1996 |
| 100 | Slovakia | 4 June 1996 |
| 101 | Mozambique | 18 June 1996 |
| 102 | Uzbekistan | 20 June 1996 |
| 103 | Namibia | 27 June 1996 |
| 104 | South Africa | 4 October 1996 |
| 105 | Cyprus | 6 November 1996 |
| 106 | Cuba | 4 April 1997 |
| 107 | Slovenia | 28 April 1997 |
| 108 | Gabon | June 1997 |
| 109 | Ukraine | 3 October 1997 |
| 110 | Croatia | 1 May 1998 |
| 111 | Nicaragua | July 1998 |
| 112 | Sudan | August 1998 |
| 113 | North Korea | 7 January 1999 |
| 114 | Comoros | 16 February 1999 |
| 115 | Suriname | 22 February 1999 |
| 116 | Turkmenistan | 22 February 1999 |
| 117 | Lesotho | 30 March 2000 |
| 118 | Republic of Congo | 15 May 2000 |
| 119 | Kazakhstan | 14 June 2000 |
| 120 | Latvia | 14 July 2000 |
| 121 | El Salvador | 28 August 2000 |
| 122 | Tanzania | 6 October 2000 |
| 123 | Malawi | 11 October 2000 |
| 124 | Ecuador | 19 March 2001 |
| 125 | Lithuania | 27 April 2001 |
| 126 | Armenia | 15 April 2002 |
| 127 | Timor-Leste | 20 May 2002 |
| 128 | Belarus | 4 November 2002 |
| 129 | Togo | 3 December 2002 |
| 130 | Zambia | 3 February 2003 |
| 131 | Luxembourg | 18 July 2003 |
| 132 | Uganda | 21 October 2003 |
| 133 | Eritrea | 13 May 2004 |
| 134 | Tajikistan | 2 June 2004 |
| 135 | Guatemala | 30 June 2004 |
| 136 | Venezuela | 13 July 2005 |
| 137 | Samoa | 8 February 2006 |
| 138 | Iceland | 27 April 2006 |
| 139 | Estonia | 1 May 2006 |
| 140 | Angola | 18 October 2006 |
| 141 | Moldova | 18 October 2006 |
| 142 | Afghanistan | 14 February 2007 |
| 143 | North Macedonia | 1 August 2007 |
| 144 | Guinea | 8 August 2007 |
| 145 | Kenya | 11 August 2008 |
| 146 | Grenada | 29 January 2009 |
| 147 | Libya | 4 April 2009 |
| 148 | Trinidad and Tobago | 24 November 2009 |
| 149 | Antigua and Barbuda | 21 December 2009 |
| 150 | Montenegro | 18 January 2010 |
| 151 | Georgia | 1 March 2010 |
| 152 | Dominican Republic | 10 August 2010 |
| 153 | Fiji | 25 April 2011 |
| 154 | Andorra | 16 June 2011 |
| 155 | Jamaica | 20 June 2011 |
| 156 | Monaco | 22 June 2011 |
| 157 | Liechtenstein | 25 November 2011 |
| 158 | Serbia | 5 December 2011 |
| 159 | Palau | 16 December 2011 |
| 160 | Djibouti | 9 November 2012 |
| 161 | Mauritania | 20 March 2014 |
| 162 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 27 May 2015 |
| 163 | Gambia | 21 January 2016 |
| 164 | Kiribati | 26 January 2016 |
| 165 | Bahamas | 21 November 2016 |
| — | Kosovo | 20 February 2017 |
| 166 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 21 February 2017 |
| 167 | Dominica | 22 January 2020 |
| 168 | Rwanda | 9 December 2020 |
| 169 | Chad | Unknown |
| 170 | Syria | Unknown |

## Bilateral relations

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Australia | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Australia–Brunei relations Australia and Brunei Darussalam enjoy a warm, and increasingly diverse bilateral relationship. Australian servicemen liberated Brunei from Japanese occupation in June 1945. A memorial marking this event can be found at Muara Beach and is the venue for the annual ANZAC Day ceremony organised by the High Commission. Both countries are also participating in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations which commenced in 2010, with participants aiming to conclude an agreement which will serve as a building block for Asia Pacific economic integration. Brunei has a High Commission in Canberra, and Australia has one in Bandar Seri Begawan. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Relations between the two countries were established in 1984 when Australia became one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Brunei. |
| Cambodia | 9 June 1992 | Main article: Brunei–Cambodia relations Brunei has an embassy in Phnom Penh, and Cambodia has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations were established on 9 June 1992. |
| Canada | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Canada relations Canada established diplomatic relations with Brunei Darussalam on 7 May 1984, following Brunei's independence. Brunei has a High Commission in Ottawa, and Canada has a High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan. Like Brunei, Canada is a full member of the Commonwealth of Nations.. |
| China | 30 September 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 September 1991Main article: Brunei–China relations Brunei has an embassy in Beijing, and China has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations can be traced back to over 2,000 years ago, as early as the Western Han periods. |
| France | 8 May 1984 | Main article: Brunei–France relations Brunei has an embassy in Paris, and France has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations between the two countries have been established since 8 May 1984. |
| Germany | 30 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Germany relations Brunei has an embassy in Berlin, and Germany has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations between the two countries has been established since 1 May 1984. |
| India | 10 May 1984 | Main article: Brunei–India relations Brunei has a High Commission in New Delhi, and India has a High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Relations have been established since 10 May 1984. |
| Indonesia | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Indonesia relations Republic of Indonesia established diplomatic relations with Brunei Darussalam on 1 January 1984. |
| Iran | 1 May 1990 | Main article: Brunei–Iran relations |
| Japan | 2 April 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Japan relations Embassy of Japan in Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei has an embassy in Tokyo, and Japan has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations were established on 2 April 1984. |
| Laos | 27 July 1993 | Main article: Brunei–Laos relations Brunei has an embassy in Vientiane, and Laos has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations were established on 27 July 1993. |
| Malaysia | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Malaysia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations since January 1984 with Brunei has a High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia has a High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan. Like Brunei, Malaysia is a full member of the Commonwealth of Nations. |
| Mexico | 2 October 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 October 1991 Brunei is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C. Mexico is accredited to Brunei from its embassy in Singapore. |
| Myanmar | 21 September 1993 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 September 1993Main article: Brunei–Myanmar relations Brunei has an embassy in Yangon, and Myanmar has an embassy in Gadong. Relations were established on 21 September 1993. |
| New Zealand | 5 May 1984 | Main article: Brunei–New Zealand relations The Bruneian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is accredited to New Zealand, while the New Zealand High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is cross-accredited to Brunei. Relations has been established since 5 May 1984 and have always been friendly and positive with such co-operation in education trade and defence. |
| North Korea | 7 January 1999 | In August 2013 Brunei's Foreign Affairs and Vice-Minister, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah arrived in Pyongyang. Brunei is represented in North Korea, through its embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. North Korea established diplomatic relations with Brunei on 7 January 1999. |
| Oman | 24 March 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Oman relations Brunei has an embassy in Muscat, and Oman has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations has been established since 24 March 1984. |
| Pakistan | 9 February 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Pakistan relations Pakistan has a High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan and Brunei has a High Commission in Islamabad. Pakistan initially hesitated to recognise the country at first since its close relations with Malaysia which what they considered as part of the Federation of Malaysia but later established relations on 9 February 1984 when Malaysia established relations with the country. |
| Philippines | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Philippines relations Relations between Brunei and the natives of a then divided Philippines under a classical era started since the 10th to 13th centuries and continued even under the colonial regimes. Relations continued through the Sultanate of Sulu. Post World War II relations between the two countries has been re-established since January 1984. In April 2009, Brunei and The Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that seeks to strengthen the bilateral co-operation of the two countries in the fields of agriculture and farm-related trade and investments. The MOU further strengthened bilateral co-operation between the two Southeast Asian countries, particularly in the fields of agriculture and farm-related trade and investments. The two countries have agreed to co-operate in plant science, crops technology, vegetable and fruit preservation, biotechnology, post-harvest technology, livestock, organic agriculture, irrigation and water resources and Halal industry. Brunei is viewed by the Philippines as a key ASEAN and Islamic ally. While Brunei view the Philippines as an ASEAN and Christian ally with a Muslim minority. |
| Qatar | 2 October 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 October 1991Main article: Brunei–Qatar relations Brunei has an embassy in Doha, and Qatar has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. |
| Russia | 1 October 1991 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 October 1991Main article: Brunei–Russia relations Brunei maintains an embassy in Moscow, the Russian embassy in Brunei was established in March 2010. |
| Singapore | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Singapore relations The official relations between the two countries have been established since 1984. Brunei and Singapore agreed to have Singapore train its armed forces with Brunei. Like Brunei, Singapore is a full member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Brunei and Singapore have a currency agreement that the currencies of both countries can be used in either of the two countries. The Brunei dollar and the Singapore dollar are maintained at par. In August 2005, Brunei's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah arrived in Singapore for a three-day visit during which the two countries signed an agreement to eliminate double taxation, paving the way for further bilateral trade and investment. The Royal Brunei Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy conduct an annual Exercise Pelican signifying strong ties between the two navies. |
| South Korea | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–South Korea relations Brunei has an embassy in Seoul, and South Korea has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. South Korea established diplomatic relations with Brunei on 1 June 1984 right after the country gained independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January on that year. |
| Thailand | 1 January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–Thailand relations Brunei has an embassy in Bangkok, and Thailand has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. The relations have always been close and cordial. |
| United Kingdom | January 1984 | Main article: Brunei–United Kingdom relations Brunei established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom in January 1984. Brunei maintains a high commission in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to the Brunei through its high commission in Bandar Seri Begawan. The UK governed Brunei from 1888 to 1984, when Brunei achieved full independence. Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, CPTPP, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Agreement, and a Joint Defence Commission. The UK and Brunei have a long-standing and strong bilateral relationship, particularly on defence co-operation, trade and education. The UK continues to play a strong role in developing Brunei's oil and gas sector, and the Brunei Investment Agency is a significant investor in the UK, with their largest overseas operations in the City of London. The UK remains the destination of choice for Bruneian students, with about 1,220 of them enrolled in higher education in the UK in 2006–07. The Brunei royal family have strong ties to the UK, more specifically Birchwood, a suburb of Warrington. |
| United States | 10 March 1984 | Main article: Brunei–United States relations The US welcomed Brunei Darussalam's full independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984, and opened an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan on that date. Brunei opened its embassy in Washington, D.C. in March 1984. Brunei's armed forces engage in joint exercises, training programs, and other military co-operation with the USA memorandum of understanding on defence co-operation was signed on 29 November 1994. The Sultan of Brunei visited Washington in December 2002. |
| Vietnam | 29 February 1992 | Main article: Brunei–Vietnam relations Relations between the two countries have been established since 29 February 1992. Brunei has an embassy in Hanoi, and Vietnam has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Relations between the two countries have always been friendly especially in the political field. |