JABAR EKSPRES – Australia has committed 95.4 million Australian dollars to support a number of initiatives to improve the country’s relationship with Southeast Asia.
“Today I am announcing our commitment of 95.4 million (Australian) dollars to support three initiatives that drive our priority strategies,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in his Leader’s Speech at the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) at Hotel Mulia, Jakarta, Wednesday (9/6).
Albanese explained the first initiative was to establish a new deal group in Southeast Asia to connect the private and public sectors.
The initiative was taken to identify opportunities for Australian investors and support the finalization of business projects.
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“The team will build investment-ready project relationships and advise Australian investors on administrative approvals in finding local business partners,” Albanese explained.
The second initiative is an Australia-Southeast Asia entrepreneur exchange program to support trade between the two countries.
“It will increase understanding of trade opportunities for both Australia and Southeast Asia,” Albanese added.
For the third initiative, Australia will create an outstanding youth exchange program to build Australia-Southeast Asia business relations.
“The exchange will involve talented Australian youth gaining work experience in Southeast Asian companies, and Southeast Asian youth gaining experience in Australia,” Albanese said.
He expects these initiatives to deepen Southeast Asia-Australia relations and cooperation.
Albanese further noted that ASEAN’s centrality is important to Australia’s future given the two regions’ geographical and historical proximity.
Australia shares with ASEAN opportunities for cooperation, community potential, and the responsibility to maintain stability, peace and prosperity for all countries.
“We can make Australia and ASEAN more successful in the next half century, and we can share that success together,” Albanese said.
Albanese was a guest at the AIPF alongside two other heads of state/government, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
