The Hon Sir John Kerr Governor-General of Australia Visits Afghanistan in 1975

As part of this historic milestone, we honour the key events and achievements that have shaped the friendship between our two nations over the past five decades.

One such significant moment was the first official visit to Afghanistan by His Excellency the Honourable Sir John Kerr, who served as Australia’s 18th Governor-General from 1974 to 1977. His 1975 visit was the first by any Australian Head of State since President Mohammad Daoud assumed power in 1973.

During this landmark visit, Sir John Kerr held meetings with President Mohammad Daoud, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Sharaq, the Minister of Commerce, the Deputy Foreign Minister, and the Governors of Kabul and Balkh provinces, among others. Sir John Kerr described these engagements as valuable opportunities to strengthen bilateral understanding and cooperation.

The visit highlighted several important areas of connection between Afghanistan and Australia, including:

• the contributions of Afghan students studying in Australia,
• shared experiences as agricultural nations, and
• opportunities for mutual benefit across various sectors.

Kerr expressed his hope that the relationship would continue to grow and flourish in the years ahead.

Australia has since remained committed to supporting peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan, providing technical assistance and expertise in areas he had identified as priorities in 1974—particularly dry-land agriculture and drought management.

Now, decades later, as we celebrate 50 years of Afghanistan–Australia relations, we reflect with pride on how far this partnership has come. The aspirations Sir John Kerr voiced in 1975 have helped guide the evolution of a cooperative, respectful, and mutually beneficial relationship—one that continues to develop as we look toward a future of ongoing collaboration and shared progress.