Quad Foreign Ministers Pledge Economic Security Push and Crackdown on Online Scams
Foreign ministers from the U.S., Australia, India and Japan met in Atlanta and vowed joint action on online scams and economic coercion.
Key points
- The meeting took place in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 31, 2026.
- The Quad ministers pledged over $85 million in technical and financial assistance for advanced artificial intelligence across the Indo-Pacific.
- They condemned criminal groups running online scams that traffic people and force them to defraud others, stealing tens of billions of dollars a year.
- They agreed to cooperate on critical mineral supply chains, recovering minerals from electronic waste.
Foreign ministers from the United States, Australia, India and Japan met on October 31, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia, to review progress in the Quad partnership and reaffirm their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
According to the official statement, the ministers stressed economic security as a foundation of global stability. They voiced grave concern over economic coercion, including arbitrary export restrictions, and over policies that create overcapacity and disrupt supply chains in critical industries.
On artificial intelligence, the ministers said they will provide more than $85 million in technical and financial assistance to expand access to trusted AI across the region, including through the Quad SI Accelerator.
They also expressed deep concern over the spread of online and cyber scams that threaten national and international security. They condemned the criminal groups behind these operations, which traffic people and force them to defraud others, and committed to dismantling them and holding their leaders accountable.
The ministers also offered condolences to those who died in the flash floods of August 26, 2026, and recognized India's role as first responder in Nepal's rescue efforts.
Finally, they welcomed progress under the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, announced in May 2026, which aims to recover critical minerals from electronic waste and reduce reliance on any single supplier.