UK, US, Australia sign supply chain resilience pact

On Monday 9 September, the United Kingdom, United States and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a new trilateral collaboration that will strengthen strategic cooperation and address risks to critical supply chains.

According to the UK Department for Business and Trade, “the MoU includes the establishment of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States Supply Chain Resilience Cooperation Group to cooperate on data sharing and joint action to build resilience in priority supply chains, enhancing our mutual ability to identify and address risks, threats and disruption to our critical supply chains.”

The Group will develop an early warning pilot focused on the telecommunications supply chain, essential for the countries’ global, digitised economies.

“By identifying and monitoring disruption risks to the telecommunications supply chain, this pilot will enhance all three countries’ knowledge of the vulnerabilities, criticality and residual risks. It will develop procedures for sharing this information and responding cooperatively to disruptions,” the UK Department for Business and Trade added.

“Strengthening critical supply chains is vital for ensuring the stability and resilience needed to meet the UK’s growth mission. This agreement signifies a deepening of the important and historic relationship between the UK, US, and Australia and reinforces our mutual commitment to tackling supply chains challenges.”