Kuensel reporter Thukten Zangpo speaks with Philip Green OAM, Australia’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Bhutan, on Bhutan-Australia relations

Bhutan and Australia relations date back to 1962. What are some of the major milestones in this relationship?

The warm and friendly relations between our two countries are now very long-standing, and we have moved forward significantly each decade. Early decades were marked by Bhutanese students coming to Australia under the Colombo Plan. Over the years, we have been able to increase the number of Bhutanese students coming to Australia under Australian government programmes. I am pleased that this continues.

Our relations have broadened over the decades, first by the establishment of formal bilateral relations and the accreditation of the Australian High Commissioner in Delhi, India and as Ambassador to Bhutan. Now we are reaching an even greater level of maturity in our relations. Bhutan is not only formally accredited to Australia but has a resident Bhutanese Ambassador in Canberra, a very big step forward.

Over the last 10 years, we have seen an increase in the number of Bhutanese people who choose to come to Australia to study and work. They are very welcome and make important contributions to our society.   

His Majesty recently visited Australia. How do you think this visit has strengthened the relationship between the two countries?

His Majesty and the Royal Family made a very successful unofficial visit to Australia in recent weeks, where they met with the most senior figures in the Australian government and were also able to meet large numbers of Bhutanese in Perth and other centers. The Royal Family’s commitment to visiting Australia has been an important cementing factor. That, for me, truly cements the warmth of this relationship, and the emotion that characterised that visit demonstrates just how far we have come. There are more things we can do, and I discussed some of those with our foreign minister and with your foreign minister.

What was the purpose of your visit?

When His Majesty called on me to present my credentials in June this year, I told him that I wanted to be a regular visitor. While I am not able to be present at all times, I do not want that to limit the degree to which I can make a contribution to our bilateral relations. So, I said I would come back in October, and I have fulfilled that promise by coming back this week.

The visit allowed me to do a range of things, firstly, to take the temperature of the bilateral relationship after the Royal Family’s recent visit to Australia, and I am very delighted to conclude that it has only reinforced all the positive dynamics in our relations.

It was also an opportunity to be part of the reception for a large number of Bhutanese who had recently studied in Australia upon their return to Bhutan. I wanted to play my part in welcoming them and encouraging them to use the skills and competencies they had learned in  Australia to the best possible for the interests of the Bhutanese people and government. It was an opportunity to meet the Fourth King who I had not met previously.

Today, human resource development and education are the main areas of cooperation between Bhutan and Australia. How can the two countries further collaborate in the education sector?

Bhutan is developing rapidly, having graduated from lower-income status. The Bhutanese government, led by His Majesty, has ambitious plans for the country. Bhutan’s future success will depend on how well its tourist infrastructure and systems develop. These are areas where Australia, I hope, has something to offer.

I have already had initial discussions with the Bhutanese government about the possibility of devoting more of our scholarship effort to the Gelephu Mindfulness City and preparations for it.

I already see that the way in which the Bhutanese government uses our scholarship system is closely aligned with the country’s evolving development needs. As those developmental needs evolve, our responses must evolve as well.

The Australian scholarships have been very helpful to Bhutanese. What can we expect regarding future scholarships?

The scholarships that the Australian government offers are welcomed here and are making a difference. There would be an appetite for more scholarships from Australia. When I come here, I can report back to my capital that scholarships are being used for the genuine benefit of Bhutan and making a difference. That’s crucially important as the money eventually comes from Australian taxpayers, and they need to know that they are making a genuine difference.

There are many calls for Australian development assistance at the moment from the conflict zones in the world and in South West Pacific and Southeast Asia. But I can honestly report to my government that the ways in which scholarships are used here are admirable, and I can help make a case for perhaps modestly increasing them over time.

So that’s the situation we are in. I do not want to make any false promises to people, but I can assure that it helps me enormously to be able to tell authorities in Australia that the money devoted to scholarships for Bhutan is being well spent.

During His Majesty’s recent visit to Australia, the Australian government and private businesses expressed keen interest in exploring avenues of cooperation. What are the key areas where Bhutan and Australia could collaborate in the future?

I think the obvious field where we are all focused is the Gelephu Mindfulness City, which is still emerging, and so it is difficult to chart how an Australian involvement in that might develop. But that’s certainly on all of our minds. And we take very careful note of His Majesty’s plans, and we listen with interest to hear more about how that will develop. Australian businesses, education institutions, and the Australian government will be watching carefully for that and seeing if there are constructive ways in which we can participate. I think that’s the main area in which we are all wondering what the next phase brings.

Could you speak on upcoming projects or initiatives that Australia plans to

support in Bhutan?

Our bilateral relations are in very fine order. I am focused on consolidating what we have and making sure it continues to deliver for the people and the development of Bhutan. Rather than branching out into some new field, as tempting as that might be, my ambition is to consolidate what we have got. I am very confident that the sort of engagement we have with your government is on the right track.

Any last words?

My interest here is to develop the bilateral relationship as much as I can. I am committed to being a steadfast friend of Bhutan across all fields. I will continue to be a regular visitor to your country. My visit to Tiger’s Nest was an eye-opener. I am an avid walker and hiker, and I do hope that when I come back on future visits, I will be able to spend some of my time enjoying the splendour of your country as well as engaging closely with your government.