————————————————-THE ROLE THAT AUSTRALIA HAS PLAYED IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IN THE POST-WAR PERIODAustralia began to become more conscious of its role as a global citizen after the end of World War II. This is when Australia began to gain a sense of independence.
It began to realise its isolation from Britain and the United States. Australia began to play a role in international affairs. Australia did this by being one of the founding members for the UN (United Nations) and by becoming part of regional agreements such as the Columbo Plan, APEC, ANZUS, and SEATO.In June of 1945 Australia, along with fifty-one other countries signed the UN ???Charter??™ as founding members. The Unites Nations is always the centre of most international initiatives to promote peace and security and improve the lives of the world??™s people. One of the agencies of the UN that Australia is involved in is UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).
Australia joined the organization on November 4 1946 and was one of the first member states to do so. UNESCO is an organisation aiming to ???build peace in the minds of men??™. UNESCO does this by actively pursuing the Millennium Development Goals. UNESCO tries to focus on halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty in developing countries by 2015, achieving universal and primary education in all countries by 2015, eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005, helping countries implement a national strategy for sustainable development by 2005 and to reverse current trends in the loss of environmental resources by 2015.Australia is also a part of other United Nations Organizations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
WHO acts as the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations System. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. The IAEA works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. Its key roles contribute to international peace and security, and to the Worlds Millennium Goals for social, economic and environmental development.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues.By becoming a member of the UN, Australia signified a commitment to working to avoid military conflict among and within countries. Australia??™s military forces have contributed to over 20 peacekeeping operations. Australia began this role in 1947 and since then the Australian troops have provided peacekeeping and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, the Middle East, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, the Solomon Islands, Somalia and Zimbabwe.In 1999, Australia responded to the UN??™s request to send troops to East Timor as a peacekeeping operation. Over 5000 military personnel from Australia were sent. Twenty-one other countries combined to send another 5000.
Australia contributes to the United Nations mainly through the UN General Assembly. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meets yearly and all countries are equally represented. At UNGA countries can discuss and address issues. The assembly runs until all matters are addressed.Because Australia is part of the UN, it has introduced many of the UN??™s laws into its legal system. Many Acts in Australia, mainly Acts relating to human rights, have UN conventions attached to them.After World War II Australia has enhanced its security and economic prosperity by signing regional agreements with countries in the Asia Pacific area.
Australia is part of The Colombo Plan, ANZUS, SEATO and APEC.In 1950 the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. At the meeting it was recommended by Australia that a scheme should be created where developing countries in South and South East Asia would receive help to improve their economies.
Australia signed the ANZUS Treaty in 1951. Australia joined with New Zealand and the United States to form the ANZUS Treaty. The ANZUS Treaty was a signed agreement that if any of the three countries were attacked that the other countries would come to its support defensively.In September 1954, Australia joined the South East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO), an organisation that the United States organised the formation of. SEATO united Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and the United States in an alliance.
The alliance aimed to protect countries in South East Asia and the Pacific. Australia becoming a member was an expression of Australia??™s forward defence strategy. SEATO was dissolved in 1977. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was established in 1989. APEC has become the leading forum for encouraging economic growth, cooperation and trade in the Asia-Pacific area. APECs core goal is to achieve free and open trade and investment in the region. Australia was a founding member of APEC in 1989. Australia has helped APEC to get where it is today and it has helped APEC??™s core work.
Australia plays a very important and active role in international affairs. They are a committed member to the United Nations and many smaller organisations within the United Nations such as; UNESCO, WHO, IAEA and the ILO. The United Nations is always the centre of most international initiatives. Australia works together with many other countries to promote peace and security, improve the lives of the world??™s people and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Australia has also been a part of or is a part of many regional agreements such as; the Colombo Plan, ANZUS, SEATO and APEC. Australia has joined these agreements for many reasons stretching from enhancing security and defence to improving economic growth and trade.
Australia has demonstrated that in the post-war period they have become an active member in international affairs and also that they have played a vital role in international affairs.
