FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has spoken to the Australian woman freed after 22 days as a hostage of an al-Qa'ida affiliated group. 
Ms Bishop said she had spoken to Jocelyn Elliott - who with her husband, Kenneth, had dedicated their lives to running a medical clinic in a remote area of the West African country of Burkina Faso.
Ms Bishop reported that Ms Elliott was "well, she was relieved and she was very tired".
"Our overriding concern now is for her husband, Dr Kenneth Elliott," Ms Bishop said.
Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou presented the freed Ms Elliott in Dosso on Saturday. Authorities were intensifying efforts to secure the release of Dr Elliott.
The West Australian couple, in their 80s, were abducted on   January 15 after attacks on foreigners in the Burkina Faso capital, -Ouagadougou.They had operated a 120-bed clinic in the town of Djibo for more than 40 years.