Mining Bishop's focus on South Africa trip
Championing Australian mining is on Julie Bishop's agenda during her first visit as foreign minister to South Africa and two Indian Ocean island nations.
She will also visit Madagascar and Mauritius during the five-day trip to talk economic, trade and maritime issues.
Ms Bishop will meet her South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and business leaders ahead of the G20 summit in Brisbane in October.
Her visit to Madagascar will be the first by a western foreign minister since the government formed in April following 2013 elections which restored democracy after a 2009 coup.
She'll announce masters award scholarships for Madagascar that focus on the resources sector.
Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls Natasha Stott Despoja will join Ms Bishop on the trip.
The Abbott government is keen to promote female economic empowerment as part of its foreign aid efforts.
In Mauritius, Ms Bishop will discuss Indian Ocean regional issues, particularly anti-piracy efforts, with top government officials from Mauritius and Seychelles.
She'll host the Indian Ocean Rim Association meeting of foreign ministers in Perth on October 9.
