According to Devpol, the aim of the Conference is to bring together researchers from across Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and beyond who are working on aid and international development policy (the AID in the conference title) to share insights, promote collaboration, and help develop the research community. With more than 650 people registering in 2020 [2021 was cancelled due to the pandemic], the AAC has established itself as Australia’s premier aid and development conference. The importance of the event is inter alia evidenced by the fact that the Opening Address was (yet again) held by the current Minister for International Development and the Pacific of the Australian Federal Government, Hon Pat Conroy MP.

KAS Australia was able to engage with local and regional experts, academics and other stakeholders in regards to the Pacific’s current challenges. In turn, participants could inform themselves about KAS Australia’s activities, be it by speaking to its Director and/or Senior Programme Coordinator for the Pacific, or by picking up one of Periscope publications from our information stall.