sultan of brunei visit to australia

The leaders of Australia and Brunei met in Canberra to discuss their cooperation on maritime security and other issues

Topic: World Politics

Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah met with Anthony Albanese to reaffirm their nations' cooperation on a range of issues, despite past concerns over the sultanate's human rights record.  ( Reuters: Ahim Rani )

Cooperation on defence and the climate were the key takeaways of a meeting in Canberra between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Sultan of Brunei.

Key points:

• Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei met with Anthony Albanese to discuss a new partnership 
• The two leaders affirmed their cooperation on issues including net-zero targets and maritime security
• The sultan will visit Darwin to tour military barracks while in Australia

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah visited the capital as part of efforts to create a comprehensive partnership between the two nations.

The new partnership will see Australia and Brunei collaborate on issues including trade and investment, increased food security, maritime security, and the transition to net-zero carbon emissions.

Defence cooperation is of particular interest for Brunei, which is among the nations locked in tense territorial stand-offs over the South China Sea.

According to a media release from the Prime Minister's Office, the Sultan will also visit the Robertson Barracks in Darwin in a show of the two nations' longstanding defence cooperation.

In the release Mr Albanese said the partnership offers new opportunities for the regional partners to cooperate.

"It affirms our shared support for ASEAN as the region's central platform for open, transparent and rules-based dialogue", he said.

"The partnership offers a chance to cooperate on the net-zero transition in the region, strengthen trade ties, and deepen cooperation on defence and security."

Human rights concerns

Brunei and its ruling Sultan have been the subject of past criticism over the country's human rights record, particularly relating to LGBT populations.

In 2019 Brunei was preparing to introduce extreme anti-LGBT laws which would have seen offenders whipped or stoned to death for same-sex relations .

Homosexuality was already illegal in the country and punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

The proposed death penalty was walked back by the sultanate after campaigning by Western governments, as well as rights groups and celebrities.

Visit to Victoria by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei visited Victoria on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 June 2023.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei visited Victoria on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 June 2023 as part of a four-day visit to Australia as a guest of the Commonwealth of Australia.

During his time in Victoria, His Excellency:

• met with Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC CVO Governor of Victoria
• hosted an event at Park Hyatt Melbourne with Brunei nationals and students
• visited private industry and trade businesses

The Sultan’s visit provided an opportunity to elevate Victoria’s relationship with Brunei and highlights Australia’s commitment to strengthening engagement with Southeast Asia. The Sultan was accompanied by his son, the Crown Prince Abdul Mateen.

Updated 27 August 2024

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Sultan of Brunei heading to Australia

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Sultan of Brunei heading to Australia

ONE of the world's richest men, the Sultan of Brunei, will be coming to Australia for a three-day visit later this week.

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THE Sultan of Brunei is heading to Australia for a three-day state visit, just days after failing to offload a Northern Territory cattle station he owns.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Hassanal Bolkiah's visit later this week provides an important opportunity to enhance Australia's bilateral relationship with Brunei, a small oil-rich nation of about 400,000 on the north coast of Borneo.

"Australia was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Brunei and we enjoy a warm and constructive relationship based on strong education, trade, security, and people-to-people links," Ms Gillard said in a statement on Monday.

The Sultan will meet Ms Gillard and Governor-General Quentin Bryce and attend a state lunch at Government House during his stay from May 1 to May 3.

Details of his itinerary have not yet been released.

Meanwhile the NT cattle station, Willeroo, owned by the Sultan failed to sell at auction last week.

The property, located about 130 kilometres southwest of Katherine, includes 17,000 head of cattle and 170,000 hectares of land.

Real estate agent Russell Wolff has led efforts to sell the property, which was passed in at an auction for $12 million on Friday.

Four people bid on Willeroo and all were Australians who wanted to keep the cattle station open, Mr Wolff said.

He said a deal to sell the station was close.

"We are expecting it will sell, or at least have an agreement, in the next few weeks," Mr Wolff said.

The Sultan of Brunei is one of the wealthiest people in the world, whose riches in 2011 were estimated to be $US20 billion ($A19.53 billion).

He purchased Willeroo in 1981 but Mr Wolff said that in recent years he had been divesting himself of NT cattle stations, although he still owned the Opium Creek property, 100km east of Darwin.

The pair had allegedly fled the scene after shooting a man in the leg.

Sydney commuters have been told to expect delays as work begins on converting a popular train line into the new Metro service.

The Nationals firebrand has stoked fears the technology could be used for “malevolent purposes,” pointing towards Israel’s deadly pager attack on Hezbollah.

Joint Statement for the Australia-Brunei Darussalam Bilateral Meeting during the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit

• The Prime Minister of Australia, The Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, welcomed His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, to Melbourne on the occasion of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations.
• The Leaders commemorated the 40th anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Brunei Darussalam and Australia. Australia congratulated Brunei Darussalam for 40 years of the country’s full resumption of independence celebrated in February 2024. Australia is proud to have been one of Brunei Darussalam’s first diplomatic partners.
• The Leaders welcomed the excellent state of the bilateral relationship following the historic elevation to a Comprehensive Partnership in June 2023, and acknowledged their countries’ shared interests in contributing to economic prosperity and regional stability for the benefit of their peoples. The Leaders reiterated the importance of developing a Joint Plan of Action to implement the Comprehensive Partnership. The Leaders reiterated their commitment to promoting a region that is stable, peaceful, prosperous, secure and resilient, and underpinned by international law, including the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), sovereignty, open markets and the rules-based international order. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN Centrality, and the ASEAN-led regional architecture and welcomed the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific through concrete projects and activities.
• The Leaders committed to take the Australia-Brunei Darussalam partnership to new heights in promoting peace, stability and development in areas of mutual interest. This includes engaging on practical ways to bolster the cooperation identified in the Joint Declaration on a Comprehensive Partnership across economic relations, climate change particularly through the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change, food security, defence, security, maritime, people-to-people exchanges and social-cultural ties.

Sultan of Brunei to visit Australia

One of the world's wealthiest men, the Sultan of Brunei, is visiting Australia for a three-day state visit.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Hassanal Bolkiah's visit later this week provides an important opportunity to enhance Australia's bilateral relationship with Brunei, a small nation of about 400,000 on the north coast of Borneo.

"Australia was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Brunei and we enjoy a warm and constructive relationship based on strong education, trade, security, and people-to-people links," Ms Gillard said in a statement.

The Sultan will meet with Ms Gillard and Governor General Quentin Bryce and attend a state lunch at Government House during his stay from May 1 to May 3.

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Brunei Sultan enhances ties with Australia and New Zealand at summit

Wednesday, 06 Mar 2024

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Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a bilateral meeting in Melbourne on March 5, 2024. - INFOFOTO

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Tuesday (March 5) held bilateral meetings with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Also present was Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.

At the bilateral meeting at Park Hyatt Melbourne, the Sultan congratulated Luxon on his appointment as the prime minister of New Zealand and said the meeting reaffirmed the important ties between Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand as this year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The monarch then invited Luxon to visit the Sultanate as said he looked forward to further strengthening bilateral ties.

The Sultan and Luxon also discussed bilateral relations and regional matters, including exploring opportunities to further expand and diversify trade, tourism and education; halal industry; working together on climate change; and discussing efforts to further enhance Asean-New Zealand dialogue relations.

Luxon also invited the Sultan to visit New Zealand.

Meanwhile, during his meeting with Albanese at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre (MCEC), the Sultan welcomed the Australian Prime Minister to Brunei Darussalam.

In commemorating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brunei Darussalam and Australia as well as the 50th anniversary of Asean-Australia dialogue relations, the monarch said he looked forward to further deepening the much-valued friendship and partnership for many more years.

He also underlined that the shared commitment between Brunei Darussalam and Australia in enhancing existing cooperation while exploring new areas is testament to the evolving friendship, where the two sides work closely to solidify the partnership with a joint plan of action.

The Sultan also expressed hope for the relations to continue in areas such as economy, energy, defence and people-to-people exchanges, noting Brunei’s interest to cooperate with Australia on energy transition and health.

The monarch and Albanese also exchanged views on a wide range of topics, including bilateral, regional and international issues as well as the situation in Palestine.

A joint statement was issued at the end of the meeting. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN

Tags / Keywords: Brunei , Australia , New Zealand , bilateral , meetings

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President Halimah, Sultan Bolkiah note close cooperation between Singapore and Brunei

SINGAPORE - Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Brunei and Singapore worked closely on vaccines, supply chains and connectivity, supporting each other in weathering the storm together, President Halimah Yacob said on Wednesday (Aug 24).

Two and a half years on, both countries have emerged stronger, and endured as havens of peace and stability in a world increasingly beset by geopolitical competition, uncertainty and fault lines, she added.

She was speaking at a state banquet in honour of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, who is on a two-day state visit to Singapore.

Both countries are also working on new avenues for cooperation in areas of mutual strategic interest, she noted, citing the signing of four agreements.

These memorandums of understanding (MOUs) cover energy and the green economy, trade and investment cooperation in food and medical products, youth education and public service capacity development.

Said President Halimah: "We have defied the odds to succeed. As small countries, we must continue to stay united, while being nimble, open and connected to the rest of the world."

Sultan Bolkiah's state visit here is his fifth, and represents the high point of a series of top-level exchanges between the two countries following the reopening of their respective borders. The visits are a testament to their special relationship.

Last month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Ms Ho Ching attended Sultan Bolkiah's 76th birthday celebrations and received royal honours. Earlier this month, Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah led a delegation here for the 8th Singapore-Brunei Young Leaders' Programme.

On Wednesday evening, Sultan Bolkiah was given a ceremonial welcome at the Istana before he called on the President.

Madam Halimah said his unstinting support enabled both countries to build on the solid foundation for bilateral ties first laid by founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and Sultan Bolkiah's father, the late Seri Begawan.

"Our bilateral relations have grown from strength to strength ever since. Bound by close cultural and people-to-people links, there is much more that we can do together," she said.

These relations are underpinned by longstanding defence and economic cooperation, she noted, saying Singapore remains grateful for Brunei's provision to the Singapore Armed Forces of jungle training areas, where generations of soldiers have trained.

"The Currency Interchangeability Agreement established in 1967 remains a shining symbol of our mutual trust and deep interdependence," she added.

Under the agreement, Singapore dollar notes are on a par with the Brunei dollar and are legal tender in Brunei, and vice versa.

Madam Halimah also noted that as the Asean chairman last year, Brunei steered the region through the pandemic and brought Asean closer to its goal of a people-centric, inclusive and forward-looking region.

"As the two smallest countries in Asean, we have shared a strong and natural affinity from the very outset. By standing shoulder to shoulder, our strong partnership has amplified our voices on the regional and international stages. It has also helped us flourish as two sovereign nations which our peoples can be proud of," she said.

In his speech, Sultan Bolkiah said he was pleased that both countries came together during the pandemic, and credited their founding leaders' wisdom, friendship and confidence and trust built over the years for enabling the currency agreement and close defence cooperation.

He expressed gratitude for Singapore's contribution of medical equipment and vaccines at the peak of the pandemic, and when Covid-19 vaccines were in short supply globally.

"Now, as we learn to live in a new normal, we are increasingly faced with new challenges, the most recent being supply chains' disruption due to geopolitical tensions happening elsewhere," he added.

"We have already realised that as small countries, we cannot fight the currents of uncertainty on our own. Therefore, I am happy that we are working together to ensure our resilience, particularly through several MOUs which have been signed during this visit."

Two of the MOUs were signed by Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong and Brunei's Minister of Finance and Economy II Amin Liew Abdullah.

Under the MOU on Cooperation in Energy and Green Economy, both countries will strengthen collaboration in areas such as emerging low-carbon technologies like hydrogen and solar energy, in carbon capture and storage, and in carbon markets.

The MOU on Strengthening Trade and Investment Cooperation in Food and Medical Products will see both sides develop the capacity and capability to mutually support each other in times of crisis, such as facilitating the efficient movement of food and medical products between Singapore and Brunei.

Mr Gan said the signing signals their mutual interest in moving towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

Meanwhile, the MOU on youth education scholarship will support more young Bruneians in studying in Singapore , and the MOU on Cooperation in Public Service Capacity Development will facilitate the exchange of best governance practices between both civil services.

Madam Halimah noted that some of the ideas discussed during Prince Billah's visit had been translated into the MOUs, and looked forward to them bringing tangible benefits to both countries and their peoples, especially the younger generation.

The Sultan’s visit ends on Thursday.

Welcomed His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah to Singapore for his fifth State Visit to Singapore. I was happy to... Posted by Halimah Yacob on  Wednesday, August 24, 2022

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World's Largest Palace Hosts PM Modi On Brunei Visit. Know All About It

Pm modi, on his two-day visit, will meet sultan hassanal bolkiah, the ruler of brunei, at the istana nurul iman palace, the official residence of the sultan..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Brunei, the first by an Indian PM. On his visit to the Southeast Asian nation, PM Modi will meet Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah , the ruler of Brunei, at his official residence, the Istana Nurul Iman Palace. The Istana Nurul Iman Palace, located near Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is the world's largest residential palace and has its name registered in Guinness World Records. It boasts 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms and 44 staircases made of 38 kinds of marble. History Istana Nurul Iman, translating to "Palace of the Light of Faith," was commissioned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in 1981. The construction, costing approximately $1.4 billion, was completed by 1984, just before Brunei's independence from British rule. Designed by Filipino architect Leonardo Locsin, the palace was intended to reflect a new era of the country. Features The structure spans a mammoth 2,00,000 square meters, making it the largest residential palace in the world. It has 1,788 rooms, including 257 bathrooms, and features a banquet hall capable of hosting 5,000 guests. The palace also has parking space for 110 cars, an air-conditioned stable for 200 polo ponies, five swimming pools, and a mosque that can accommodate 1,500 worshippers. The 44 staircases within the palace are constructed from 38 different types of marble. Architectural Style The palace's architectural design is a blend of Brunei's Islamic culture and Malay traditions. The grand white exterior is complemented by golden domes, including a central dome studded with 22-carat gold. The interior, designed by Khuan Chew, who also contributed to designing Dubai's Burj Al Arab, is adorned with gold and marble. It has hosted several events, including the 28th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, held virtually from this grand setting. While Istana Nurul Iman is the world's largest residential palace, it is not the most expensive. That distinction belongs to Buckingham Palace in London, valued at approximately $2.9 billion.

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