Australia and Asean: Committed, invested and engaged

Australia congratulates the Philippines on its official assumption of the role of ASEAN Chair. This represents a huge opportunity for the country to enhance its leadership role in a rapidly evolving region.

The Philippines’ ASEAN Chair Year will see leaders and policymakers from across the region, and the world, come together to tackle some of the complex challenges that are facing us all – from climate change to international trade, from economic development to regional security.

2026 also heralds important milestones. Australia will mark our 5th anniversary as a Comprehensive Strategic Partner of ASEAN. Bilaterally, we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and the Philippines. It’s a time to showcase our wide-ranging cooperation and explore new opportunities to advance our common interests.

Australia will be working closely with the Philippines and ASEAN to realize our shared vision for a peaceful, stable and prosperous future. We welcome the Philippines’ three priorities for ASEAN: peace and security anchors, prosperity corridors and people empowerment.

Canberra’s commitment to ASEAN is strong and enduring. Shortly after the establishment of ASEAN, with the Philippines as a founding member, Australia recognized the value of the regional grouping. In 1974, Australia’s then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam had the foresight to recognize “that of all the arrangements in our region, ASEAN is unquestionably the most important, the most relevant.”

Since then, Australia and ASEAN have steadily built habits of cooperation, understanding and trust to expand our partnership. We recorded our mutual ambition through a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN in 2021 – the first agreed by ASEAN.

In 2026, Australia will continue to champion the effectiveness and resilience of ASEAN centrality, not only in our words, but in our actions. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia relations in 2024, we announced A$500 million (P19 billion) in new and expanded initiatives, which we continue to implement.

The Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative, worth A$204 million (P7.76 billion) is Australia’s flagship investment program under the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

All Aus4ASEAN Futures projects are ASEAN-led and jointly agreed, addressing complex regional challenges.

One initiative Australia has supported through Aus4ASEAN Futures is the establishment of the ASEAN Center for Climate Change. The Center brings together governments, the private sector, academics and civil society to address the interlinked crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Under Aus4ASEAN, we currently have 40 projects underway. Many of these projects are designed to drive economic transformation and regional integration, including support for the ASEAN Power Grid and ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement.

Another key initiative driving positive change in the region is the ASEAN-Australia Center. Established in Canberra in 2024, the Center is a dedicated focal point to promote greater collaboration and cooperation between our peoples.

Last week, the Center supported over 30 young leaders aged 18 to 29 from across ASEAN and Australia to attend the ASEAN-Australia Youth Leaders Forum in Cebu. The Forum empowered youth to drive regional collaboration on maritime security, the blue economy and marine conservation.

The ASEAN-Australia Center delivers a range of impactful initiatives which bring benefits to the Philippines, including the ASEAN-Australia BRIDGE School Partnerships Program.

The BRIDGE program has strengthened cross-cultural understanding between two schools in Rizal province and Cavite and their partner schools in Australia. The Center’s leadership programs have supported 18 Filipino delegates to build people-to-people ties and connections to Australian industry leaders in the health, agriculture, digital economy, STEM and resources sectors.

People are at the heart of the ASEAN-Australia relationship. With over one million Australians with heritage from Southeast Asia, our people-to-people ties run deep.

Our Aus4ASEAN scholarships and fellowships are supporting emerging leaders from Southeast Asia to study in Australia, growing the capacity of ASEAN’s next generation to respond to the shared challenges facing the region and to shape our shared future.

We have offered over 230 Aus4ASEAN scholarships to emerging leaders to complete Master’s degrees in Australia. Over 400 young people have been trained in Australia under the Aus4ASEAN Digital Transformation and Future Skills Initiative, helping them become job-ready.

Australia’s economic prosperity is deeply linked with ASEAN’s. The ASEAN-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership are delivering benefits for our region with support from the A$53.3-million (P2.25 billion) Regional Trade for Development Program.

Our A$2-billion (P76 billion) Southeast Asia Infrastructure Financing Facility is funding Australian investment in the region. This will provide catalytic equity for 15 Australian retirement funds in renewable energy, telecommunications and infrastructure projects across the region.

Finally, the maritime domain is at the heart of our shared interests for a peaceful, stable and prosperous region. Australia is actively advancing practical maritime cooperation in the region.  Examples include the roll-out of Law of the Sea training across ASEAN and delivering A$64 million (P2.43 billion) in assistance under Australia’s Southeast Asia Maritime Partnership Initiative – of which the Philippines is the major beneficiary.

As the Philippines takes on the role of ASEAN Chair, Australia is invested, engaged and committed to working with thePhilippines and ASEAN every step of the way.

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Marc Innes-Brown is the Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines.