The 26th ASEAN-Australia Forum (AAF) was held in Canberra, Australia, on March 25-26 March to mark the 40 thanniversary of the ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Partnership, which waslaunched in Manila , the Philippines, on February.
Participants reviewed the progress in the Implementation of the Plan ofAction (POA) to implement the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-AustraliaComprehensive Partnership 2008-2014 and hoped to continue the effectiveimplementation of the current POA.
Both sides also looked forwardto the adoption of the new POA for the period 2014-2018 at theASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit to be held in Myanmar inNovember as well as the implementation of other commemorative activitiesplanned for this year.
The Forum further discussed ways andmeans to strengthen and enhance cooperation in areas such asdisaster management, education, climate change and environment, publichealth, human trafficking, counter-terrorism, economic cooperation,connectivity and infrastructure development, public outreach andpeople-to-people contact.
The New Colombo Plan, launchedby the Australian Government in December 2013 as a signature initiativeof Australia in this commemorative year to further strengtheneducation and people-to-people linkages between ASEAN and Australia ,was also welcomed in this Forum.
ASEAN appreciatedAustralia’s strong commitment in supporting the bloc's effort to achieveits Community-building goals by 2015 and its post-2015 agenda,particularly through the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation ProgramPhase Two (AADCP II), which now has been extended until December 2019.
Australia reiterated its support for ASEAN’scentral role in regional mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS),the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus), the ASEANRegional Forum (ARF), and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF). Italso reaffirmed commitment to continue working with ASEAN to strengthenthese mechanisms for peace, stability and development in theAsia-Pacific region.
ASEAN and Australiaexchanged views on regional and international issues of common interestsand concerns. Both sides also expressed condolences for the victims ofthe missing Malaysia Airlines MH 370.-VNA
Participants reviewed the progress in the Implementation of the Plan ofAction (POA) to implement the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-AustraliaComprehensive Partnership 2008-2014 and hoped to continue the effectiveimplementation of the current POA.
Both sides also looked forwardto the adoption of the new POA for the period 2014-2018 at theASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit to be held in Myanmar inNovember as well as the implementation of other commemorative activitiesplanned for this year.
The Forum further discussed ways andmeans to strengthen and enhance cooperation in areas such asdisaster management, education, climate change and environment, publichealth, human trafficking, counter-terrorism, economic cooperation,connectivity and infrastructure development, public outreach andpeople-to-people contact.
The New Colombo Plan, launchedby the Australian Government in December 2013 as a signature initiativeof Australia in this commemorative year to further strengtheneducation and people-to-people linkages between ASEAN and Australia ,was also welcomed in this Forum.
ASEAN appreciatedAustralia’s strong commitment in supporting the bloc's effort to achieveits Community-building goals by 2015 and its post-2015 agenda,particularly through the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation ProgramPhase Two (AADCP II), which now has been extended until December 2019.
Australia reiterated its support for ASEAN’scentral role in regional mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS),the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus), the ASEANRegional Forum (ARF), and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF). Italso reaffirmed commitment to continue working with ASEAN to strengthenthese mechanisms for peace, stability and development in theAsia-Pacific region.
ASEAN and Australiaexchanged views on regional and international issues of common interestsand concerns. Both sides also expressed condolences for the victims ofthe missing Malaysia Airlines MH 370.-VNA
