US, China officials to resume talks over trade tensions
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for about eight hours with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Geneva in their first face-to-face meeting since the world's two largest economies heaped tariffs well above 100 per cent on each other's goods.
Neither side made any statements about the substance of the discussions nor signalled any progress towards reducing crushing tariffs as meetings at the residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the United Nations concluded about 8pm local time.
Bessent, Greer and He were meeting in Geneva after weeks of growing tensions prompted by US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz starting in February and retaliation from China that has brought nearly $US600 billion ($A935 billion) in annual bilateral trade to a virtual standstill.
The trade dispute, combined with Trump's decision last month to impose duties on dozens of other countries, has disrupted supply chains, unsettled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global downturn.
The location of the talks in the Swiss diplomatic hub was never made public.
However, witnesses saw both delegations returning after a lunch break to the gated UN ambassador's building, the 18th-century "Villa Saladin," which has its own private park overlooking Lake Geneva in the leafy suburb of Cologny.
Earlier, US officials including Bessent and Greer smiled as they left their hotel on the way to the talks, wearing red ties and US flags on their lapels.
At the same time, Mercedes vans with tinted windows were seen leaving a hotel where the Chinese delegation was staying on the lakeside as runners preparing for a weekend marathon warmed up in the sunshine.
The US is seeking to reduce its $US295 billion goods trade deficit with China and to persuade Chinese officials to renounce what the United States says is a mercantilist economic model and contribute more to global consumption, a shift that would require politically sensitive domestic reforms.
Chinese authorities have pushed back against what they see as external interference.
They want the United States to lower tariffs, clarify what it wants China to buy more of and treat it as an equal on the world stage.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary on Saturday that the United States' "reckless abuse of tariffs" had destabilised the global economic order but added that the negotiations represented "a positive and necessary step to resolve disagreements and avert further escalation".
"Whether the road ahead involves negotiation or confrontation, one thing is clear: China's determination to safeguard its development interests is unshakable and its stance on maintaining the global economic and trade order remains unwavering," Xinhua said.
With distrust running high, both sides have been keen not to appear weak and economic analysts have low expectations of a breakthrough.
Trump said on Friday that an 80 per cent tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," suggesting for the first time a specific alternative to the 145 per cent levies he has imposed on Chinese imports.
He has suggested the discussions were initiated by China.
Officials in Beijing said the United States requested the discussions and that China's policy of opposing US tariffs had not changed.
China could be looking for the same 90-day waiver on tariffs that the US has given other countries as negotiations take place while any kind of tariff reduction and follow-up talks would be seen as positive by investors.
Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin met both parties in Geneva on Friday and said the fact that the talks were taking place was already a success.
Switzerland helped to broker the meeting during recent visits by Swiss politicians to China and the United States.
Top United States and Chinese officials have wrapped up the first day of talks in Switzerland aimed at defusing trade tensions and plan to resume negotiations on Sunday, a source close to the discussions says.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for about eight hours with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Geneva in their first face-to-face meeting since the world's two largest economies heaped tariffs well above 100 per cent on each other's goods.
Neither side made any statements about the substance of the discussions nor signalled any progress towards reducing crushing tariffs as meetings at the residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the United Nations concluded about 8pm local time.
Bessent, Greer and He were meeting in Geneva after weeks of growing tensions prompted by US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz starting in February and retaliation from China that has brought nearly $US600 billion ($A935 billion) in annual bilateral trade to a virtual standstill.
The trade dispute, combined with Trump's decision last month to impose duties on dozens of other countries, has disrupted supply chains, unsettled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global downturn.
The location of the talks in the Swiss diplomatic hub was never made public.
However, witnesses saw both delegations returning after a lunch break to the gated UN ambassador's building, the 18th-century "Villa Saladin," which has its own private park overlooking Lake Geneva in the leafy suburb of Cologny.
Earlier, US officials including Bessent and Greer smiled as they left their hotel on the way to the talks, wearing red ties and US flags on their lapels.
At the same time, Mercedes vans with tinted windows were seen leaving a hotel where the Chinese delegation was staying on the lakeside as runners preparing for a weekend marathon warmed up in the sunshine.
The US is seeking to reduce its $US295 billion goods trade deficit with China and to persuade Chinese officials to renounce what the United States says is a mercantilist economic model and contribute more to global consumption, a shift that would require politically sensitive domestic reforms.
Chinese authorities have pushed back against what they see as external interference.
They want the United States to lower tariffs, clarify what it wants China to buy more of and treat it as an equal on the world stage.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary on Saturday that the United States' "reckless abuse of tariffs" had destabilised the global economic order but added that the negotiations represented "a positive and necessary step to resolve disagreements and avert further escalation".
"Whether the road ahead involves negotiation or confrontation, one thing is clear: China's determination to safeguard its development interests is unshakable and its stance on maintaining the global economic and trade order remains unwavering," Xinhua said.
With distrust running high, both sides have been keen not to appear weak and economic analysts have low expectations of a breakthrough.
Trump said on Friday that an 80 per cent tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," suggesting for the first time a specific alternative to the 145 per cent levies he has imposed on Chinese imports.
He has suggested the discussions were initiated by China.
Officials in Beijing said the United States requested the discussions and that China's policy of opposing US tariffs had not changed.
China could be looking for the same 90-day waiver on tariffs that the US has given other countries as negotiations take place while any kind of tariff reduction and follow-up talks would be seen as positive by investors.
Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin met both parties in Geneva on Friday and said the fact that the talks were taking place was already a success.
Switzerland helped to broker the meeting during recent visits by Swiss politicians to China and the United States.
Top United States and Chinese officials have wrapped up the first day of talks in Switzerland aimed at defusing trade tensions and plan to resume negotiations on Sunday, a source close to the discussions says.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for about eight hours with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Geneva in their first face-to-face meeting since the world's two largest economies heaped tariffs well above 100 per cent on each other's goods.
Neither side made any statements about the substance of the discussions nor signalled any progress towards reducing crushing tariffs as meetings at the residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the United Nations concluded about 8pm local time.
Bessent, Greer and He were meeting in Geneva after weeks of growing tensions prompted by US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz starting in February and retaliation from China that has brought nearly $US600 billion ($A935 billion) in annual bilateral trade to a virtual standstill.
The trade dispute, combined with Trump's decision last month to impose duties on dozens of other countries, has disrupted supply chains, unsettled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global downturn.
The location of the talks in the Swiss diplomatic hub was never made public.
However, witnesses saw both delegations returning after a lunch break to the gated UN ambassador's building, the 18th-century "Villa Saladin," which has its own private park overlooking Lake Geneva in the leafy suburb of Cologny.
Earlier, US officials including Bessent and Greer smiled as they left their hotel on the way to the talks, wearing red ties and US flags on their lapels.
At the same time, Mercedes vans with tinted windows were seen leaving a hotel where the Chinese delegation was staying on the lakeside as runners preparing for a weekend marathon warmed up in the sunshine.
The US is seeking to reduce its $US295 billion goods trade deficit with China and to persuade Chinese officials to renounce what the United States says is a mercantilist economic model and contribute more to global consumption, a shift that would require politically sensitive domestic reforms.
Chinese authorities have pushed back against what they see as external interference.
They want the United States to lower tariffs, clarify what it wants China to buy more of and treat it as an equal on the world stage.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary on Saturday that the United States' "reckless abuse of tariffs" had destabilised the global economic order but added that the negotiations represented "a positive and necessary step to resolve disagreements and avert further escalation".
"Whether the road ahead involves negotiation or confrontation, one thing is clear: China's determination to safeguard its development interests is unshakable and its stance on maintaining the global economic and trade order remains unwavering," Xinhua said.
With distrust running high, both sides have been keen not to appear weak and economic analysts have low expectations of a breakthrough.
Trump said on Friday that an 80 per cent tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," suggesting for the first time a specific alternative to the 145 per cent levies he has imposed on Chinese imports.
He has suggested the discussions were initiated by China.
Officials in Beijing said the United States requested the discussions and that China's policy of opposing US tariffs had not changed.
China could be looking for the same 90-day waiver on tariffs that the US has given other countries as negotiations take place while any kind of tariff reduction and follow-up talks would be seen as positive by investors.
Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin met both parties in Geneva on Friday and said the fact that the talks were taking place was already a success.
Switzerland helped to broker the meeting during recent visits by Swiss politicians to China and the United States.
Top United States and Chinese officials have wrapped up the first day of talks in Switzerland aimed at defusing trade tensions and plan to resume negotiations on Sunday, a source close to the discussions says.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for about eight hours with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Geneva in their first face-to-face meeting since the world's two largest economies heaped tariffs well above 100 per cent on each other's goods.
Neither side made any statements about the substance of the discussions nor signalled any progress towards reducing crushing tariffs as meetings at the residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the United Nations concluded about 8pm local time.
Bessent, Greer and He were meeting in Geneva after weeks of growing tensions prompted by US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz starting in February and retaliation from China that has brought nearly $US600 billion ($A935 billion) in annual bilateral trade to a virtual standstill.
The trade dispute, combined with Trump's decision last month to impose duties on dozens of other countries, has disrupted supply chains, unsettled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global downturn.
The location of the talks in the Swiss diplomatic hub was never made public.
However, witnesses saw both delegations returning after a lunch break to the gated UN ambassador's building, the 18th-century "Villa Saladin," which has its own private park overlooking Lake Geneva in the leafy suburb of Cologny.
Earlier, US officials including Bessent and Greer smiled as they left their hotel on the way to the talks, wearing red ties and US flags on their lapels.
At the same time, Mercedes vans with tinted windows were seen leaving a hotel where the Chinese delegation was staying on the lakeside as runners preparing for a weekend marathon warmed up in the sunshine.
The US is seeking to reduce its $US295 billion goods trade deficit with China and to persuade Chinese officials to renounce what the United States says is a mercantilist economic model and contribute more to global consumption, a shift that would require politically sensitive domestic reforms.
Chinese authorities have pushed back against what they see as external interference.
They want the United States to lower tariffs, clarify what it wants China to buy more of and treat it as an equal on the world stage.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary on Saturday that the United States' "reckless abuse of tariffs" had destabilised the global economic order but added that the negotiations represented "a positive and necessary step to resolve disagreements and avert further escalation".
"Whether the road ahead involves negotiation or confrontation, one thing is clear: China's determination to safeguard its development interests is unshakable and its stance on maintaining the global economic and trade order remains unwavering," Xinhua said.
With distrust running high, both sides have been keen not to appear weak and economic analysts have low expectations of a breakthrough.
Trump said on Friday that an 80 per cent tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," suggesting for the first time a specific alternative to the 145 per cent levies he has imposed on Chinese imports.
He has suggested the discussions were initiated by China.
Officials in Beijing said the United States requested the discussions and that China's policy of opposing US tariffs had not changed.
China could be looking for the same 90-day waiver on tariffs that the US has given other countries as negotiations take place while any kind of tariff reduction and follow-up talks would be seen as positive by investors.
Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin met both parties in Geneva on Friday and said the fact that the talks were taking place was already a success.
Switzerland helped to broker the meeting during recent visits by Swiss politicians to China and the United States.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
37 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Swatch apologies for ad showing gesture seen as racist
Swiss watchmaker Swatch has apologised for an ad campaign that upset consumers in China and elsewhere and says it has "immediately removed all related materials worldwide". In an image for the Swatch Essentials collection, an Asian male model is shown pulling the edges of his eyelids upward and backward with his fingers - a gesture seen as derogatory and racist, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports. The image triggered criticism on social media in China, with major influencers weighing in. Swatch wrote on Instagram that "we sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused". It said it would "treat this matter with the utmost importance". SRF reported that the apology was also posted on the Chinese social network Weibo in Chinese and English. China is a major market for luxury brands and watchmakers. The founders of Dolce&Gabbana apologised on video in 2018 after a Chinese boycott of its products over what were seen as culturally insensitive videos promoting a runway show in Shanghai. Swiss watch exporters are facing new tariffs in the US and a prolonged slowdown, with significant declines in the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, according to industry association figures. Swiss watchmaker Swatch has apologised for an ad campaign that upset consumers in China and elsewhere and says it has "immediately removed all related materials worldwide". In an image for the Swatch Essentials collection, an Asian male model is shown pulling the edges of his eyelids upward and backward with his fingers - a gesture seen as derogatory and racist, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports. The image triggered criticism on social media in China, with major influencers weighing in. Swatch wrote on Instagram that "we sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused". It said it would "treat this matter with the utmost importance". SRF reported that the apology was also posted on the Chinese social network Weibo in Chinese and English. China is a major market for luxury brands and watchmakers. The founders of Dolce&Gabbana apologised on video in 2018 after a Chinese boycott of its products over what were seen as culturally insensitive videos promoting a runway show in Shanghai. Swiss watch exporters are facing new tariffs in the US and a prolonged slowdown, with significant declines in the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, according to industry association figures. Swiss watchmaker Swatch has apologised for an ad campaign that upset consumers in China and elsewhere and says it has "immediately removed all related materials worldwide". In an image for the Swatch Essentials collection, an Asian male model is shown pulling the edges of his eyelids upward and backward with his fingers - a gesture seen as derogatory and racist, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports. The image triggered criticism on social media in China, with major influencers weighing in. Swatch wrote on Instagram that "we sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused". It said it would "treat this matter with the utmost importance". SRF reported that the apology was also posted on the Chinese social network Weibo in Chinese and English. China is a major market for luxury brands and watchmakers. The founders of Dolce&Gabbana apologised on video in 2018 after a Chinese boycott of its products over what were seen as culturally insensitive videos promoting a runway show in Shanghai. Swiss watch exporters are facing new tariffs in the US and a prolonged slowdown, with significant declines in the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, according to industry association figures. Swiss watchmaker Swatch has apologised for an ad campaign that upset consumers in China and elsewhere and says it has "immediately removed all related materials worldwide". In an image for the Swatch Essentials collection, an Asian male model is shown pulling the edges of his eyelids upward and backward with his fingers - a gesture seen as derogatory and racist, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports. The image triggered criticism on social media in China, with major influencers weighing in. Swatch wrote on Instagram that "we sincerely apologise for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused". It said it would "treat this matter with the utmost importance". SRF reported that the apology was also posted on the Chinese social network Weibo in Chinese and English. China is a major market for luxury brands and watchmakers. The founders of Dolce&Gabbana apologised on video in 2018 after a Chinese boycott of its products over what were seen as culturally insensitive videos promoting a runway show in Shanghai. Swiss watch exporters are facing new tariffs in the US and a prolonged slowdown, with significant declines in the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, according to industry association figures.
The Advertiser
38 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
India's PM to meet China's top diplomat as ties improve
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet China's top diplomat in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours after a years-long stand-off between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders on Tuesday about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border and possibly resuming trade in the contested region are expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the US, along with Australia and Japan. India and China's decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. In 2024, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3500km border. Before his meeting with Modi, Wang met India's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, and discussed the way forward to bolster the relationship. "The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders," Wang said. The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to meet Xi when he travels to China in late August - his first visit in seven years - to attend the summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter US influence in Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet China's top diplomat in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours after a years-long stand-off between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders on Tuesday about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border and possibly resuming trade in the contested region are expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the US, along with Australia and Japan. India and China's decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. In 2024, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3500km border. Before his meeting with Modi, Wang met India's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, and discussed the way forward to bolster the relationship. "The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders," Wang said. The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to meet Xi when he travels to China in late August - his first visit in seven years - to attend the summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter US influence in Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet China's top diplomat in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours after a years-long stand-off between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders on Tuesday about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border and possibly resuming trade in the contested region are expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the US, along with Australia and Japan. India and China's decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. In 2024, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3500km border. Before his meeting with Modi, Wang met India's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, and discussed the way forward to bolster the relationship. "The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders," Wang said. The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to meet Xi when he travels to China in late August - his first visit in seven years - to attend the summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter US influence in Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet China's top diplomat in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours after a years-long stand-off between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders on Tuesday about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border and possibly resuming trade in the contested region are expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the US, along with Australia and Japan. India and China's decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. In 2024, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3500km border. Before his meeting with Modi, Wang met India's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, and discussed the way forward to bolster the relationship. "The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders," Wang said. The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to meet Xi when he travels to China in late August - his first visit in seven years - to attend the summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter US influence in Asia.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Australia pledges to protect aid workers amid records deaths
Australia has pledged tangible action to protect humanitarian aid workers as those who dedicate themselves to helping people in war are killed in record numbers. More than 380 humanitarian workers were killed in conflict zones in 2024, marking the deadliest year on record and a 31 per cent jump from the previous year, according to Aid Worker Security Database statistics released on Tuesday. But there are dire warnings this could be surpassed in 2025 with more than 200 people killed. For Matthew Maury, this was more than just a tally as he reflected on the death of a former colleague during a wreath-laying ceremony in Canberra on World Humanitarian Day. The Australian Council for International Development CEO reflected on his former colleague John Amahoro, who was killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when their convoy was ambushed by rebels. 'Without the efforts and sacrifices of humanitarian workers like John, the lives of civilians in conflicts and disaster zones would be far more precarious and life-threatening,' Maury said at the Australian Overseas Aid Volunteer Memorial. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is spearheading a pledge to protect humanitarian personnel after convening a ministerial group with several other nations at a United Nations conference in September 2024. It will be launched on the margins of the United Nations meeting in New York during the final week of September, International Development Minister Anne Aly confirmed. 'The declaration will be an important demonstration of our collective commitment to upholding international humanitarian law,' she said. 'It will also include practical steps that will increase aid worker safety.' The text hasn't been released, but a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Department told AAP it called for 'political commitment at the highest possible level to protect aid workers and enable safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance to civilians in conflict zones'. Gaza remains the deadliest place on earth for humanitarian workers and journalists, with at least 520 aid workers killed since the start of the conflict, according to data from the United Nations. The highest numbers of deaths in 2024 were recorded in Gaza at 181, followed by 60 in Sudan. Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six other World Central Kitchen workers were killed by an Israeli air strike in Gaza in April 2024, which its defence force blamed on a mistake.
