Unpacking the Quad Leaders’ Summit: A Detailed Overview of its Historical Context, Background, Aims, Agenda, and Latest Developments.
The 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit is an important opportunity for the four countries to reaffirm their commitment to the Quad and to work together to address the challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region.
The Quad summit, which was scheduled to be held in Sydney on May 24, 2023 has been canceled after US President Joe Biden announced his postponement of the visit due to debt ceiling negotiations in Washington.
The Quad Summit 2023 was hosted by Anthony Albanese, the 31st Prime Minister of Australia on the sidelines of the ongoing G-7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan during the 20-21 May 2023.
Introduction
The Quad Summit is a meeting of the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, a strategic partnership among Australia, India, Japan and the United States. The Quad was formed in 2007 as a response to the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 when the four countries cooperated to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The Quad is a diplomatic partnership of four countries committed to promoting stability, resilience and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Leading economies such as Australia, India, Japan and the United States share a vision for a region that is governed by accepted rules and norms, where we all can cooperate, trade, and thrive.
The Quad is a relatively new strategic partnership, but it has quickly become an important forum for cooperation on a range of issues in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad faces a number of challenges, but it also has the potential to play a significant role in promoting peace and stability in the region.
History and Background of Quad Summit
The Quad is a strategic partnership between four countries: Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. It was first proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007, but it did not take off until 2017 when the four countries held their first formal meeting. The Quad has since become an increasingly important forum for cooperation on a range of issues, including security, economics, and climate change.
Together, Quad partners are taking practical action to address shared regional challenges, including improving regional health security, advancing critical and emerging technologies, strengthening connectivity, enhancing clean energy innovation and boosting supply chain resilience.
Objectives and Goals
The Quad’s objectives are to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, to counter the growing influence of China, and to strengthen cooperation on a range of issues of mutual interest. The Quad has also been seen as a way to strengthen the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific.
6 Working Groups
Quad partners collaborate across six Leader-level Working Groups on Health Security, Climate, Critical and Emerging Technologies, Space, Infrastructure and Cyber.
Health Security: The Quad Vaccine Experts Group promotes cooperation between Quad countries and Indo-Pacific partners. As part of this, the Quad Vaccine Partnership has delivered almost 800 million safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses globally – including more than 400 million doses for Indo-Pacific countries. In addition, Quad countries have provided USD 5.6 billion to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment for vaccine supply. The Quad has also funded vaccine manufacturing and provided extensive ‘last mile’ delivery support to national vaccination programs.
The Quad’s work on vaccines is now evolving to focus on regional health security and resilience, including pandemic preparedness and response.
Climate: The Quad’s Climate Working Group collaborates on clean energy supply chains, disaster risk reduction, green shipping, and climate information exchanges.
In 2022, Quad Leaders agreed to a Quad Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP) to accelerate cooperation on climate resilience in the region. Quad countries’ participation in the July 2022 Sydney Energy Forum demonstrated the Quad’s commitment to strengthening clean energy supply chains in the Indo-Pacific. The Climate Working Group continues to progress that commitment and other new climate initiatives through collaboration with Indo-Pacific partners.
Critical and Emerging Technology (CET): The Quad’s CET Working Group promotes global technology markets and standards based on openness, diversity, trust and resilience. The CET Working Group cooperates on technical standards; 5G; horizon scanning; and technology supply chains.
In September 2021, Quad Leaders agreed to work together on artificial intelligence; semi-conductor supply chains; and monitoring trends in critical and emerging technologies, including advanced biotechnologies. The Quad is also deepening engagement with industry on Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) and joint facilitation of 5G and 6G test beds in the Indo-Pacific.
Space: Space-related technologies contribute to addressing contemporary challenges in the Indo-Pacific, such as climate change, disaster response, and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources.
The Space Working Group is identifying ways to share satellite data to monitor and adapt to climate change, enhance disaster preparedness, and respond to threats in shared domains. The group shares satellite data expertise and technology, cooperates on capacity building for sustainable development, and consults on norms and guidelines. Achievements to-date include mapping each country’s capabilities and launching an Earth Observation (EO) data website.
Infrastructure: At the 2022 Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo, Quad Leaders committed to ensuring countries in our region have access to quality, sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure.
Quad partners share assessments of regional infrastructure needs, and coordinate on technical assistance and capacity-building efforts. Our aim is to ensure infrastructure investments are fit for purpose and do not impose unsustainable debt burdens.
Cyber: The Quad Senior Cyber Group is expanding cybersecurity cooperation and strengthening cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection in the Indo-Pacific. The group is focused on preventing and preparing for potential cyber incidents, and responding quickly and effectively should one occur.
In April 2023, the Quad completed the Quad Cyber Challenge. The challenge encouraged participants across the Indo-Pacific and beyond to improve their cybersecurity and raised awareness about cybersecurity threats and how individuals and organisations can protect themselves, their devices and their customers from online threats.
Challenges and Prospects
The Quad faces a number of challenges, including:
China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific: The Quad is seen by some as a way to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. This has led to tensions between China and the Quad countries.
Lack of consensus on some issues: The Quad countries do not always agree on all issues. This has led to some delays in implementing Quad initiatives.
Domestic political challenges: The Quad countries are facing a number of domestic political challenges, which could make it difficult for them to sustain their commitment to the Quad.
Updates
The Quad has been met with mixed reactions from countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Some countries, such as Australia, India, and Japan, have welcomed the Quad as a way to strengthen their security and economic ties. Other countries, such as China, have viewed the Quad with suspicion, seeing it as an attempt to contain China’s rise.
The Quad is still a work in progress, but it has the potential to be a significant force for good in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad countries have a shared interest in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, and they are working together to address a range of challenges, including security, economics, and climate change. The Quad has the potential to play a significant role in promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
You Should Know Everything About Quad Leaders’ Summit 2023
On 24 May Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host the 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit in Sydney.
It will be the first time Australia has hosted the Quad Leaders’ Summit and follows the Prime Minister’s attendance at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo in May 2022. It will be the third in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit.
This year 2023 Quad partners are playing a strong leadership role in the Indo-Pacific through hosting the G20 (India), G7 (Japan), and APEC (US). In Sydney, Quad Leaders will discuss how the Quad can work alongside partners and regional groupings, foremost ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum, to strengthen our cooperation and shape the region we all want to live in.
“Quad partners are deeply invested in the success of the Indo-Pacific. Leveraging our collective strengths helps Australia advance its interests and more effectively respond to the region’s needs. We are always better off when we act together with our close friends and partners.”, said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“The Quad is committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is respectful of sovereignty and ensures security and growth for all. I look forward to discussing with Quad Leaders how we – alongside important regional institutions, such as ASEAN, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Indian Ocean Rim Association and our regional partners – can shape the Indo-Pacific region we all want to live in.” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The Quad Leaders’ Summit 2023 will be held in Sydney, Australia, on May 24, 2023.
Participants
The participants of the Quad Leaders’ Summit 2023 are:
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan
President Joseph R. Biden of the United States
Agenda
The agenda for the Quad Leaders’ Summit 2023 is expected to include the following topics:
- The situation in Ukraine
- The Indo-Pacific region
- Climate change
- Critical and emerging technologies
- Cyber security
- Infrastructure
- Regional health security
- Space
- Maritime security
- Counter-terrorism
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
How
The Quad Leaders’ Summit 2023 will be held in person. The leaders of the four countries will meet and discuss the region’s most pressing challenges and advance the Quad’s positive and practical agenda.
Expected Outcomes
The expected outcomes of the 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit include:
A renewed commitment to the Quad’s vision for an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region
A strengthened Quad partnership on security, economics, and climate change
New Initiatives to address common challenges in the Indo-Pacific Region
Significance
The Quad Leaders’ Summit 2023 is a significant event that demonstrates the strong commitment of the Quad leaders to working together to address common challenges and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Quad is a positive development that has the potential to play a significant role in promoting peace and stability in the region.
