Jakarta (BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged leaders of ASEAN member states to transform their longstanding natural relationships into greater practical cooperation after 50 years of partnership.
“We must work to turn our natural relationships into broader practical cooperation on marine sustainability, blue economy, and maritime security,” said PM Albanese during the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, as broadcasted via the President’s Secretariat YouTube account watched from Jakarta on Wednesday (06/03/2024).
Albanese noted that as the host of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, the celebration of the 50-year friendship between Australia and ASEAN was an opportunity to celebrate successes and reaffirm confidence in ASEAN centrality.
According to Albanese, the commemoration of the 50-year partnership could articulate how ASEAN and Australia position themselves, thereby transforming the region into a shared host.
“The 50-year partnership celebration also presents an opportunity for strategic and comprehensive partnerships to deepen and diversify,” Albanese said.
Albanese emphasized that greater practical cooperation between Australia and ASEAN could enable both parties to achieve net zero while ensuring regional energy security, national economic sovereignty, and ushering in a new wave of clean energy trade and investment.
As a commitment to the future, Australia also invited ASEAN to promote and educate the next generation of leaders to ensure a safe, resilient, open, inclusive, and prosperous region.
“In this regard, Australia is committed to working with you to ensure that principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality, and independence are upheld,” said Albanese.
Meanwhile, President of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia, marking 50 years of partnership this year.
In his address during the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne on Wednesday, Jokowi stated that ASEAN and Australia shared a joint responsibility to maintain stability, peace, and prosperity in the region.
President Jokowi predicted that ASEAN would become a global economic force and rank fourth in the world by 2040.
With a population of over 650 million, mostly comprising young, technologically literate workers, Jokowi underscored the importance of Australia’s support in maximizing this potential.
To this end, Jokowi advocated for strengthening economic cooperation by enhancing economic integration, including through the Southeast Asia-Australia Economic Strategy 2040 to encourage Australian investment in Southeast Asia.
