March 13, 2024
JAKARTA – As ASEAN and Australia commemorate the 50th anniversary of their dialogue partnership this year, a wide range of historical dynamics, current areas of mutual interest, and opportunities for future engagement need to be considered closely.
The reality for Australia is that its relative importance to ASEAN has shifted over the decades, from rhetorical support in the early days of ASEAN’s establishment to active and intensive engagement today.
From time to time, Australia has been perceived by some spectators in the region as a “Western actor” in the Asian continent, meaning it is sometimes depicted as representing only Western values and interests. Nonetheless, the hard work from the Australian government to convince the Southeast Asian countries, especially by the current administration, has shown that it is prepared to act as a “residential power”.
Australia’s commitment and willingness to go hand-in-hand to deal with common regional security threats and address global problems has brought positive results. Moreover, through its sustainable development assistance to Southeast Asian countries, Australia has shown a deep interest in sincerely engaging and empowering these countries to achieve its security and welfare, which eventually would benefit Australia as well.
Australia, perhaps more than some others, has been prepared to engage in ways that have built a significant set of relationships and trust across Southeast Asia and with ASEAN sustained throughout five decades of social, economic and strategic change.
The 2021 agreement of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and Australia is a strong endorsement of this model of diplomatic and people-to-people ties coupled with practical cooperation in responding to ASEAN priorities.
Recent Australian government statements highlight the ambition to further expand on this level of economic enmeshment. Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, a major Australian government report launched in 2023, sets out substantial recommendations to support trade and investment, with priority put on agriculture and food, resources, the green energy transition, infrastructure, education and skills, the visitor economy, health, the digital economy, professional and financial services, and creative industries.
Such work is a reminder that the steady, incremental evolution of Australia’s cooperation with Southeast Asia and ASEAN as an institution has tended to be the most effective strategy for all sides.
The ASEAN-Australia dialogue partnership has created conditions for the development of mutual trust, the evolution of technical and cultural practices that help reinforce modes of cooperation, and the expansion, over time, of joint work into an ever-increasing range of activities. The fact that Australia also enjoys particularly strong bilateral ties across Southeast Asia has contributed to this success.
Over time, Australia’s closest relationships within the region have also evolved in response to different strategic and economic opportunities. In this respect, the decades of effort summarised in this report are a reminder of the way that diplomatic cooperation – and the people-to-people ties that sustain such diplomacy – only succeeds with constant attention to relationships, contexts and shared priorities.
Taking stock after 50 years of working together means looking at how investments have been made, while also considering, carefully, the creation of this shared culture of cooperation. Thinking ahead, we consider it important to propose some of the models of engagement that will help to sustain a peaceful and prosperous region for many years to come.
In this context, we have eight recommendations for the future of ASEAN-Australia ties.
First, the establishment of an ASEAN-Australia center.
Australia and ASEAN would both benefit greatly from the establishment of a future-focussed, analytically-minded and commercially-oriented ASEAN-Australia Centre, drawing strength from existing institutions and proven models of cooperation.
Second, integrated model of ASEAN-Australia youth leadership.
Better integrating cohorts of high-potential future leaders from ASEAN and Australia, creating a shared sense of purpose, direction and belonging, and providing opportunities for them to build long-term partnerships.
Third, digital economy transformations and knowledge sharing.
ASEAN and Australia can continue to strengthen cooperation in cybersecurity, cyber-governance and cyber-technology, and also around the regulation and management of social, political and economic progress in the digital age.
Fourth, shared innovation on climate change and the energy transition.
With the long-term planning and supply chain shifts required for the next phase of the energy transition, it should be possible to use both ASEAN and Australian experiences to promote cooperation on different initiatives, including on linking physical infrastructure, promoting sustainable financing, and harmonization of standards.
Fifth, strengthen Timor-Leste as a new ASEAN member.
From both Australian and ASEAN perspectives, there is broad-based support for Australia to offer advice and resources to help Timor-Leste become a productive member in ASEAN, and to sustain its engagement over the years ahead.
Sixth, deepen and broaden Australia’s ASEAN diplomacy.
The current assessment in ASEAN capitals is that Australia is a trusted and energetic partner. There is scope to broaden the level of engagement across the Australian government through formal senior official and ministerial engagement in all sectors.
Seventh, continue to invest in Indo-Pacific security and ASEAN centrality.
With ASEAN now embracing the Indo-Pacific concept for its own strategic deliberations, Australia can play a key role in the discussions that will help to safeguard regional peace and prosperity.
Eighth, investments in peace, security and development cooperation with ASEAN’s newer members.
By leveraging its expertise and resources, Australia has an opportunity to contribute significantly to the region’s development, aligning its efforts with ASEAN’s goals and priorities to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.
Finally, the role of Indonesia as a significant player ASEAN is pertinent in shaping the ASEAN-Australia relationship moving forward. The conclusion of the election on Feb. 14 will introduce new leadership in Indonesia. Much will be expected from the new government and president to make Indonesia a more active player both at the regional and global levels.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first to convey his congratulations to the winning candidate, which we believe are also accompanied by strong wishes that the warm bilateral relations will continue to flourish, which also certainly contributes to strong ASEAN-Australia relations.