The Governments of the United States and Australia held their annual Strategic Policy Dialogue (SPD) on November 21–22 in Canberra. The SPD, established in 2019, is a forum for Australia and the United States to deepen collaboration to address growing strategic challenges, including on extended deterrence and regional instability.
The U.S. delegation was co-chaired by Dr. Vipin Narang, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, and Ms. Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Department of State. The Australian side was co-chaired by Dr. Peter Sawczak, First Assistant Secretary Strategic Policy, Department of Defence, and Ms. Ciara Spencer, First Assistant Secretary International Security, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
During this SPD meeting, Australia and the United States discussed the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to enhance multilateral cooperation, and shared perspectives on their respective strategies, including the U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS), the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), the U.S. Missile Defense Review (MDR), and Australia's defence and foreign policy strategies. The United States and Australia also identified opportunities to work together to deter security threats and coordinate regional messaging.
The two sides reaffirmed the value of the SPD, the fourth since the dialogue was established, as a policy forum that strengthens our ability to work together in support of regional security in the Indo-Pacific. The SPD will convene again in 2023.