Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne assured ASEAN counterparts that her country attaches importance to cooperation with ASEAN and supports the bloc’s central role.

Foreign Minister from ASEAN member States and Australia to
the ASEAN-Australia Ministerial Meeting held digitally on August 4, 2021

Addressing ASEAN-Australia ministerial meeting on Wednesday, Payne announced that Australia is now implementing the AUD500 million package to help regional neighbors recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

She pledged that Australia commits to deploying the AUD523 million regional vaccine access and health security initiative, and supporting ASEAN in implementing the bloc’s comprehensive recovery framework (ACRF) which serves as the consolidated exit strategy from the COVID-19 crisis.

It also pledged to kick-start training course for 40 health experts and staff from ASEAN member States and to organize ASEAN-Australia dialogue on mental health for the youth in the coming time.

ASEAN foreign ministers appreciated Australia’s timely support, including its contribution of AUD1 million to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and AUD21 million to the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED).

The regional ministers asked Australian side to beef up cooperation in research, development, production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as well as in other fields like anti-terrorism, climate change, education and environmental protection.

Both sides agreed to continue close coordination to contribute to peace and stability in the region, including security and stability in the East Sea. Australia reiterated support for ASEAN’s principled positions and enhanced role in accelerating dialogue and trust building as well as for full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and formulation of an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Australian diplomat also welcomed the outcomes of ASEAN leaders’ summit on April 24, 2020, affirming Australia’s advocacy for ASEAN’s role and efforts in pushing forward dialogue, reconciliation and support for Myanmar to seek solutions to stabilize the situation there./.