(UN) in 1945 and has been actively engaged in the organisation since its formation. The UN is seen by the Australian Government as a means to influence events which directly affect Australia's interests but over which they have little unilateral control.
. The Australian Mission is headed by an Ambassador and Permanent Representative and staffed by officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs, AusAid, the
, as well as local employees. The Mission provides the core of Australia's delegation to UN conferences and meetings in New York, including regular and special sessions of the
. It also participates in the ongoing work of the UN's other organisations, such as the
Australia is the thirteenth largest financial contributor to the UN. Australia contributed more than US$87 million in the years 2004 to 2006, with a regular budget of US$22.9 million, peacekeeping costs of approximately US$60 million, and over US$4 million contribution to International
on four occasions, 1946-7, 1956-7, 1973-4, and 1985-6.
Australians were the first peacekeepers to serve under United Nations auspices when they sent military observers to
in 1947 during the independence struggle. About 15,000 Australians have taken part in more than forty peacekeeping operations, in about 25 different conflicts. Operations include military observation, monitoring cease-fires, clearing landmines, humanitarian aid and the repatriation of refugees.
among others. All three services of the
, as well as police officers and civilians, have been involved in peacekeeping activities.
The most significant recent involvement from Australian peacekeeping troops is in the newly formed country of
. Australia initially offered between 1,000 and 1,300 infantry, three
) along with other support capabilities. Australia's involvement in East Timor is through UNMISET, the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor, and UNOTIL, the United Nations Office in Timor Leste and UNMIT, the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste.
Australia also has peacekeepers from the Australian Defence Force participating in the
Seven Australians have commanded or led multinational peacekeeping operations. Nine Australian peacekeepers have died on UN missions.
| UN Operation name |
UN Operation title |
Location |
Dates of Australian involvement |
Number of Australians involved |
Australian role |
| None |
UN Consular Commission |
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
|
1947 |
4 |
Military observers |
| UNGOC |
UN Good Offices Commission |
Indonesia |
1947–1949 |
About 45 ADFThe Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
personnel |
Monitor ceasefire A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
s and ensure the peace between Dutch and Indonesian nationalists |
| UNCI |
UN Commission for Indonesia |
Indonesia |
1949–1951 |
About 45 ADF personnel |
Monitor ceasefires and ensure the peace between Dutch and Indonesian nationalists |
| UNCOK UNCOK refers to the 1950 UN Commission on Korea, preceding the events of the Korean War. Many of the participating nations include those who participated in the United Nations Command.-See also:*UNCMAC – the UN Command Military Armistice Commission...
|
UN Commission on Korea |
KoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
|
1950 |
2 |
Military observers |
| UNMOGIP The United Nations has played an important role in maintaining peace and order in Jammu and Kashmir since the transfer of Power to India and independence to Pakistan in 1947. Immediately after the freedom a dispute erupted between India and the successor nation-state of Pakistan on the question of...
|
UN Military Observer Group in IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
|
KashmirKashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
|
1950–1985 |
Up to 18 |
Military observers and air transport |
| UNCURK UNCURK refers to the 1951 UN Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea. It occurred as part of the Korean War. Many of the participating nations include those who participated in the United Nations Command.-See also:...
|
UN Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea |
Korea |
1951 |
1 |
Military observer |
| UNCMAC UNCMAC refers to the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, established in July 1953 at the end of the Korean War to supervise the Korean Armistice Agreement, and which has been operating ever since.-History:...
|
UN Command Military Armistice Commission |
Korea |
1953–present |
Originally 6, with 2 continually serving. Estimated 68 total |
Armistice monitoring |
| UNTSO |
UN Truce Supervision Organization |
IsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and neighbouring Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
countries |
1956–present |
Up to 13. Estimated 700 total |
Military observers |
| ONUC |
Operation des Nations Unies au Congo (UN Operation in the Congo) |
CongoThe Republic of the Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in 1960...
|
1960–1961 |
Army medical team of 3 seconded to the International Red Cross |
Medical team |
| UNTEA |
UN Temporary Executive Authority |
Western New GuineaWest Papua informally refers to the Indonesian western half of the island of New Guinea and other smaller islands to its west. The region is officially administered as two provinces: Papua and West Papua. The eastern half of New Guinea is Papua New Guinea.The population of approximately 3 million...
|
1962–1963 |
4 ArmyThe Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
pilots, 7 RAAF ground crew and 2 Sioux helicoptersThe Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
|
CholeraCholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
eradication program |
| UNYOM |
UN Yemen Observation Mission |
YemenThe Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
|
1963 |
2 |
Military observers |
| UNFICYP |
UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus |
CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
|
1964–present |
15 Australian Federal PoliceThe Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
officers. Estimated 1000 in total |
Law and order In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
|
| UNIPOM |
UN India-Pakistan Observation Mission |
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
|
1965–1966 |
3; 1 seconded from UNTSO, 2 seconded from UNMOGIP |
Military observers |
| UNDOF |
UN Disengagement Observer Force |
IsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
|
1974 |
Several redeployed from UNTSO. None currently |
Military observers |
| UNEF II |
UN Emergency Force II |
Sinai |
1976–1979 |
46 RAAF detachment operating 4 UH-1 helicoptersThe Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
|
Ceasefire monitoring between Israel and EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
|
| UNIFIL |
UN Interim Force in Lebanon |
LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
|
1978 |
A few through detachment from UNTSO |
Military observers |
| UNIIMOG |
UN Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group |
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and IraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
|
1988–1990 |
Up to 16 in Iran only |
Military observers |
| UNBRO The United Nations Border Relief Operation was a donor-nation funded relief effort for Cambodian refugees and others affected by years of warfare along the Thai-Cambodian border...
|
UN Border Relief Operation |
ThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
/CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
border |
1989–1993 |
2 Federal PoliceThe Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
|
Law and order, and police training |
| UNTAG |
UN Transition Assistance Group |
NamibiaNamibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
|
1989–1990 |
613 in two rotations; 28 electoral supervisors |
Engineering support and election supervision |
| UNMCTT |
UN Mine Clearance Training Team |
AfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
|
1989–1993 |
10 teams of 6-9 Army field engineers. Estimated 95 total |
DeminingDemining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish...
|
| UNSCOM |
UN Special Commission |
IraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
|
1991–1999 |
Between 2-6 ADF personnel on 3-6 month tours. Estimated total 96 |
Inspection of Iraqi chemical, biological and nuclear weapons capabilities |
| MINURSO |
Mission des Nations Unies pour un Referendum au Sahara Occidental (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) |
Western SaharaWestern Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
|
1991–1994 |
5 45 person contingents. Total 225 |
Communications |
| UNAMIC |
UN Advance Mission in Cambodia |
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
|
1991–1992 |
65 |
Military observers, signals and support |
| UNTAC |
UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia |
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
|
1992–1993 |
Up to 1,215 ADF personnel |
Force Communications Unit |
| UNOSOM I United Nations Operation in Somalia I was the first part of a United Nations sponsored effort to provide, facilitate, and secure humanitarian relief in Somalia, as well as to monitor the first UN-brokered ceasefire of the Somali Civil War conflict in the early 1990s.The operation was established...
|
UN Operation in Somalia |
SomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
|
1992–1993 |
30 |
Movement control unit |
UNITAFUnified Task Force was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia between 5 December 1992 – 4 May 1993...
|
Unified Task Force |
SomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
|
1992–1993 |
About 1,200. 1 Royal Australian RegimentThe Royal Australian Regiment is the parent regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps...
Battalion Group, HQ group, and HMAS Tobruk |
Protecting delivery of humanitarian aid, law and order, and establishing functional legal, social and economic systems |
| UNPROFOR |
UN Protection Force in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia |
Former Yugoslavia The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
|
1992 |
Several |
Military observers and liaison |
UNOSOM IIUnited Nations Operation in Somalia II was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia, from March 1993 until March 1995....
|
UN Operation in Somalia II |
Somalia |
1993–1995 |
36 Movements and Air Traffic Control Staff, 12 man Ready Reaction Security Team (mainly SAS) and HQ staff. 50 personnel per tour, about 250 in total |
Movement control unit, HQ staff, security |
| UNAMIR II |
UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda |
RwandaRwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
|
1994–1995 |
More than 600 in 2 contingents |
Medical, infantry protection, support troops |
| ONUMOZ |
UN Operation in Mozambique |
MozambiqueMozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
|
1994 |
15 police, 4 ADF |
Police and demining |
| MINUGUA MINUGUA was a ten-year United Nations humanitarian mission in Guatemala that involved, at the most critical point in the peace process, a three-month peacekeeping mission....
|
UN Verification Mission in Guatemala |
GuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
|
1997 |
1 |
Military observer |
| UNAMET |
UN Mission in East Timor |
East TimorThe Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
|
1999 |
50 police, 6 military liaison officers |
Facilitating referendum |
| INTERFET The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
|
International Force East Timor under UN mandate |
East TimorThe Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
|
1999–2000 |
5,500 |
Establishing security, facilitating humanitarian aid and reconstruction |
| UNTAET |
UN Transitional Administration in East Timor |
East Timor |
2000–2002 |
Up to 2,000 |
maintaining security, facilitating reconstruction |
| UNMEE |
United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea |
EthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and EritreaEritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
|
2000–present |
2 ADF officers, 16 in total |
Training mission personnel and mapping |
| UNMISET |
UN Mission of Support in East Timor |
East Timor |
2002–2005 |
Up to 1,600 |
Maintaining security, facilitating reconstruction |
| UNMOVIC |
UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission for Iraq |
Iraq |
2002–2003 |
A few trained, not deployed |
Weapons inspectors |
| UNAMA |
UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan |
AfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
|
2003–2004 |
1 |
Military advisor |
| UNMIS (Operation Azure Operation Azure is the name given to the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the United Nations Mission in Sudan .The United Nations Mission in the Sudan was established by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1590 of the UN Security Council on 24 March 2005, in response...
) |
United Nations Mission in the Sudan |
SudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
|
2005–present |
15 |
Military observers, logistics, air movement controllers |
| UNOTIL (Operation Tower Operation Tower is the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor .UNMIT was established on 25 August 2006 by UN Security Council Resolution 1704...
) |
United Nations Office in Timor-Leste |
East TimorThe Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
|
2005–present |
About 17 |
Military and police support |
, elected three months earlier. According to
, the aim was to "repair relations". Hilde Johnson, deputy director of UNICEF, stated that Rudd was showing "stronger support" for the United Nations and multilateralism than his predecessor
had. During Howard's Prime Ministership, UN high commissioner for human rights
record. Johnson stated that the new Australian government had "explicitly said there's going to be a change, that the government will engage strongly and pro-actively with the UN". For the Australian government,
said that his country's "relationship with the major multi-lateral organisations has deteriorated in a manner that is quite contrary to Australia's long-term interests and needs to be repaired".