The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is located in the western Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. RMI is an independent country in a Compact of Free Association (the Compact) with the United States. RMI is an archipelago of 29 atolls, five low coral islands and 1,151 islets that shares maritime borders with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati and Nauru. RMI's land mass totals 113 square kilometres spread over an exclusive economic zone of 1.2 million square kilometres.
RMI's economy is dominated by grants and constrained by its small population, vulnerability to external shocks, narrow range of natural resources, aspects of its geography (size, remoteness and dispersal) and the impacts of extreme weather events. External grants, taxation, fishing receipts and shipping registry fees are the key sources of government revenue.
Australia was the second country, after the United States, to establish diplomatic relations with RMI in 1987. Australia and RMI enjoy a close relationship based on shared regional interests. The Australian Embassy in Majuro opened on 4 May 2021. Australia's development cooperation with RMI seeks to respond to RMI's priorities, including economic development, climate change adaptation, women's empowerment, youth engagement and scholarships.
Australia’s goods and services trade with RMI in 2023 totalled AUD30.7 million. This was comprised of unspecified services, internal combustion piston engines, and recreational and education-related travel.
The AIFFP in RMI
Australia’s investment in RMI, through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), includes:
Infrastructure sectors: off-grid renewable energy
Partners (A-Z): RMI Environmental Protection Authority; RMI Ministry of Education, Sports, and Training; RMI Public School System; UNICEF Australia; UNICEF Pacific
Projects (A-Z):
Creating climate-ready classrooms with clean energy across the Marshall Islands
Australian Embassy, Majuro
Office Suite 1, 4th Floor, NAPA Building
Uliga, Majuro
Phone: +692 457 2285
For more information on Australia and RMI’s diplomatic relations, see the DFAT website.