CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — February 2026 — H.E. President Hilda C. Heine paid a courtesy call on Senator the Honorable Sue Lines, President of the Senate and the Honorable Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the House, during her Official State Visit to Australia, reaffirming the strong bilateral and parliamentary ties between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Australia.
President Heine expressed appreciation for Australia’s hospitality and highlighted Australia as a long-standing partner in areas including maritime security, human rights, education, gender equality, and infrastructure development. She welcomed Australia’s support for RMI’s second term on the United Nations Human Rights Council and for continued scholarship opportunities for Marshallese students.
President Heine acknowledged Australia’s presidency leadership in the Pre-COP31 negotiations process, and emphasized the importance of advancing Pacific priorities in global climate negotiations. Regional cooperation through the Pacific Islands Forum and strengthened solidarity in a changing strategic environment were also discussed. President Heine also thanked Australia for its continued support on nuclear legacy issues and for cooperation on Pacific security and policing.
President Heine thanked Senate President Lines for the constructive exchange and reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening the partnership between the Marshall Islands and Australia.
