Strengthening Australia-Latin America Relations

  • Media release

I am pleased to announce the Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR) will this year support 17 projects that enhance the economic, political and social ties between Australia and Latin America.

Australian Government funding will total over $470,000 for 2016 –17. The successful projects focus on economic cooperation, education, research, culture, and tourism. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador and Uruguay will benefit from this year's grant program.

Successful projects include:

  • The University of Queensland, to establish a Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Mining with the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota and the Colombian Government;
  • An exchange between the University of Melbourne and a Cuban Ecological Institute to focus on strengthening Australia-Cuba cooperation on agricultural productivity;
  • The Australia-Peru Young Chef's Exchange Program to establish ongoing links and through food tourism;
  • Australian researchers, key academics and government institutions to build capacity for Zika virus control in Colombia and Brazil;
  • Opportunities for Australian students to learn from sustainable wildlife management programs in the Brazilian Amazon.

The projects selected demonstrate the great potential for long-term collaborative relationships between individuals and institutions in Australia and Latin America.

Information on COALAR, successful grant recipients and the grants program is available at: www.dfat.gov.au/coalar.

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