Malcolm Turnbull has snagged the very last bilateral meeting with US President Barack Obama at APEC in Lima, Peru.
The schedule for the final day of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders' summit was running significantly behind schedule on Sunday (local time).
But the prime minister and outgoing president managed to squeeze in 50 minutes for a one-on-one chat.
Mr Obama reassured Mr Turnbull the US-Australia alliance transcended party politics.
"I indicated to him my confidence the US-Australian alliance will remain as robust as ever," he later told reporters .
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He noted the prime minister had reached out to Donald Trump and the president-elect's transition team.
Mr Obama said he would do everything he could to ensure "a strong handoff" in the relationship with the Trump administration.
"It's not often that I have a meeting and have got nothing to disagree with," Mr Obama said, adding there was a strong alignment in the interests of both nations
Mr Turnbull said that it was a "great moment but a sad moment" to be meeting with Mr Obama for the last time.
"Thank you for the leadership you have shown in your country and the world over eight years," he said.
The pair discussed the fight against Islamic State extremists in the Middle East.
"Australia has been our most stalwart ally when it comes to troop deployments," Mr Obama said.
Strategic issues such as the South China Sea maritime dispute were also discussed.
The leaders both trumpeted the merits of free trade and the likely doomed Trans-Pacific Partnership pact.
Mr Turnbull also thanked Mr Obama for his co-operation on resettling refugees now in limbo on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
So far no numbers and time frames have been set.
