G20 to round out ‘solid year’ on world stage for PM
Meeting world leaders at the G20 summit will cap a successful year on the international front for Anthony Albanese, as Australia looks to strengthen its regional ties.
The Prime Minister is in South Africa for the annual leaders’ meeting, which will be celebrated in the absence of US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
After arriving in Johannesburg, Mr Albanese met European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of talks, with a trade deal on the agenda.
Our relationship with the EU is based on common values and is getting stronger. Today I met with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Antonio Costa to advance our trade, security, defense and research cooperation. pic.twitter.com/fuOZdhZN98— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 21, 2025
Mr Albanese’s schedule during his three-day visit also includes meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The bilateral meeting with the Turkish leader came after Australia abandoned its offer to host the United Nations’ annual climate summit with Türkiye after long talks and negotiations.
Bec Strating, professor of international relations at La Trobe University, said the G20 had been a productive year abroad for the prime minister and that the end of the summit season provided an opportunity to strengthen relations.
“Australia is really taking the lead on conflict prevention issues in the region, so it’s been a pretty solid year for Australia in terms of foreign policy,” he told AAP.
“I think the ongoing work is really important for Australia to be able to diversify and deepen its foreign policy and relationships with other countries.”
Prof Strating cited success in signing a critical minerals agreement with the US, a security agreement with Indonesia and partnerships in the Pacific as evidence that the quiet diplomacy approach on the world stage was working to advance Australia’s overseas agenda.
“There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes, which is always very important in foreign policy,” he said.
“I think developing those partnerships and really investing in relationships across the region pays off.”
Mr Albanese said the G20 summit was a critical summit despite the absence of US and Chinese leaders.
“This is important to us because a quarter of jobs in Australia are dependent on trade and so it’s important for me to represent Australia in forums like this, advance Australia’s economic interests and support Australian jobs,” he said.
