Climate, cuisine, defence on agenda for Macron's Australia visit

Climate change, cuisine and defence will be on the menu next week when French President Emmanuel Macron visits Australia.

French President Emmanuel Macron will make his first visit to Australia next month.

French President Emmanuel Macron will make his first visit to Australia next month. Source: AAP

French officials said Macron would also discuss security in the South Pacific with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on his first visit to the country as president.

The May 1-3 trip comes hot on the heels of Macron's pomp-filled visit to Washington and Turnbull's journey to Normandy for World War 1 Anzac Day commemorations.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy, were last in France in July 2017.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy, were last in France in July 2017. Source: AAP
Macron's advisers said he wanted to discuss a "common response" to security and climate tensions in the South Pacific, which includes the French territory of New Caledonia.

The visit will also have a strong trade and cultural flavour.

France's 40-year-old leader will discuss food at a lunch with Australian and French chefs. 

As often on his foreign visits, he will also meet local artists, specifically Indigenous artists whose work deals with climate change - a subject which Macron, custodian of the 2015 Paris Agreement, has taken a leadership role.
He will also try to drum up business for French defence companies, a-year-and-a-half after Australia signed a $50 billion deal to purchase 12 next-generation French submarines.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said earlier this month that, with Britain poised to leave the European Union, Australia was anxious to deepen ties with other European countries.

Australia was already working "very closely" with France on the submarine project, she was quoted by Australian media as saying.


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Source: AFP, SBS


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Climate, cuisine, defence on agenda for Macron's Australia visit | SBS News