In February 2010, UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan made a historic first official visit to Australia.

During the tour, a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a Joint Committee on Consular Affairs was signed by Nahyan and Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith.

[citation needed] Australia openly supports the United Arab Emirates during the Yemeni Civil War, shipping weapons and ammunitions to provide for Yemeni government's forces and the Saudi-led coalition, which led to criticism among public about Australia's involvement, given high civilian casualties.

On 17 September 2024, Australia announced that it had reached a deal with the UAE to remove tariffs for approximately 99% of Australian exports in a bid to improve trade ties.

Australia is a popular destination to which Emirati students have turned for higher education,[5] with enrolments increasing over the years.