ASPI and SWP have been partnering since 2016 to undertake regular Germany–Australia dialogues.

This year’s meeting in Sydney marked the second iteration after the inaugural dialogue in Berlin in December 2016.

Following the 2+2 meeting of 2016 and the recommendations in the report by the Australian–German Advisory Group (AGAG), the dialogue has been a welcome outcome, fostering a closer bilateral relationship.

Participants agreed that political will to continue talks and meetings and to foster institutional cooperation is still strong on both sides.

Another welcome development has been the opening of an office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a German political foundation, in Canberra in 2017.