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Australian Permanent Mission to the Office of the United Nations
Australia was a founding member of the United Nations and has been an active member of the Organisation since 1945.
The Australian Mission to the United Nations in Geneva is one of four posts (along with diplomatic missions in New York, Vienna and Nairobi) representing Australia's interests in the UN system.
The Mission’s work covers the full spectrum of the UN’s operations in Geneva. A number of important aspects of the UN’s work take place in Geneva including human rights, (through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), refugees, (through the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees), and humanitarian relief (through the Geneva headquarters of the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs). Five of the UN’s specialised agencies, including the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation are also based in Geneva, as are a number of important international bodies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Council of Churches.
For the latest news and statements from the Australian Mission to the UN, click here.
Our role
The role of the Australian Mission to the United Nations is to pursue Australia’s interests in the UN through advocacy of our views and promotion of our interests by negotiating with relevant member states to advance Australia’s key foreign policy objectives.
The Australian Mission to the UN in Geneva includes the following areas:
- Human Rights, through engagement with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Human Rights Council.
- Intellectual Property issues, through engagement with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
- Humanitarian Aid/Development, through funding and support of UN agencies such as the Office of the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Non-Government Organisations providing emergency aid and longer term development to countries in need.
- Health, through engagement with the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Migration/Refugees, through engagement with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
- Labour issues through engagement with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).