ASEAN, Australia to further strengthen partnership

ASEAN, Australia to further strengthen partnership

Jakarta — Australia will redouble efforts in its strategic partnership with ASEAN, Australian Ambassador to ASEAN H.E. Elizabeth Jane Duke said, as she presented her credentials to the Secretary-General of ASEAN H.E. Le Luong Minh at the ASEAN Secretariat today.

Ambassador Duke conveyed that Australia would increase its resources to further deepen cooperation with ASEAN across the three pillars of the ASEAN Community. She also expressed Australia’s satisfaction with the recent First ASEAN Australia Biennial Summit and added that Australia would work closely with ASEAN Member States to follow up on the outcomes of the Leaders’ engagement, including undertaking necessary preparations to ensure substantive outcome at the Special ASEAN–Australia Summit in 2018 in Australia.

Secretary-General Minh welcomed and congratulated Ambassador Duke on her assumption of duty as Australia’s Ambassador to ASEAN. He acknowledged Australia’s strong commitment to strengthen its dialogue partnership with ASEAN and appreciated Australia’s contribution to ASEAN’s community building and integration process to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

He also encouraged Australia to continue its active role in ASEAN-led regional mechanisms such as ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus; to strengthen its economic partnership with ASEAN and contribute to the timely conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations.

Further, Secretary-General Minh and Ambassador Duke discussed ways to further deepen ASEAN-Australia cooperation, particularly in such areas as connectivity, trade and investment, narrowing the development gap and people-to-people exchanges. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concerns.

Ambassador Duke is the second resident Ambassador of Australia to ASEAN