> Timor-Leste becomes the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the occasion with Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão and ASEAN leaders at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, stating, “ we strongly support ASEAN’s role in shaping a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific… is a significant step for Timor-Leste’s regional integration and economic development.”

While Australia is not an official ASEAN member – is an ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner – Australia has supported Timor-Leste’s ASEAN journey from the beginning, including through their $11.8 million technical assistance and capacity building package. (read FNGN past article)

 > ASEAN – Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Action Plan

Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the ASEAN – Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership achieving 83% of the action plan for 2025–2029 already implemented, providing a strong foundation for broadening cooperation in the next phase. In fact, “83 % implemented” might reflect preparatory or planning stage tasks.

This Comprehensive Strategic Partnership promote sectors of sustainable and inclusive economic growth, digital economy, energy transition and climate change, education and skills, agriculture and food, trade and investment, sustainable development, and regional resilience.

Achievements:

  Bilateral trade between Australia and ASEAN reached US $96.2 billion in 2024, with Australia’s investment in ASEAN at US $1.65 billion.

  On the security and regional architecture front: Australia is being recognised as strengthening its role in ASEAN-led mechanisms (maritime security, rule-of-law, regional cooperation) by ASEAN leaders.

  On people-to-people / institutional links: The establishment of the ASEAN‑Australia Centre and expansion of the Aus4ASEAN initiative (scholarships, digital-/future-skills, youth exchange) are cited as tangible outputs of the CSP

> ASEAN-Australia Shared Future in Energy Transition

ASEAN underscore the importance of Australia’s support in delivering on ASEAN’s renewable energy transition. In 2024, Australia invested AUD 6.9 million “Energy Cooperation Package” under the Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative, which established of the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change, with the aim to deliver nine priority projects to advance the ASEAN Power Grid, renewable energy adoption and regional energy policy & planning. Given the modest budget size, many of the projects may be pilots or feasibility/capacity‑building stages, not full roll‑out large-scale infrastructure- heavily weighted toward policy/planning/capacity‑building rather than large‑scale capital investment in infrastructure or generation.

 Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia. “Climate change is an existential threat to our region … we are working with our ASEAN partners to mitigate its impacts and accelerate the clean energy transition.”
Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change & Energy. “Australia is strengthening cooperation with our ASEAN partners, working together to rewire our region and build new clean energy manufacturing and trade opportunities.”

Australian companies and start-ups need to tell stories not just about Australia alone, but about how they link into the ASEAN region holistically – through the support of ASEAN cooperative frameworks.

Australia’s development cooperation with the region:

• Australia’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocation to Southeast Asia: ~ AUD 0 million estimated for 2025‑26. DFAT+1
• Australia’s ASEAN & Mekong program: ~ AUD 7 million for 2025‑26. DFAT

  Specific program commitments:

• Under the Aus4ASEAN Futures initiative: AUD 9 million Energy Cooperation Package to support renewable energy transition and regional energy policy. foreignminister.gov.au+1
• Also: AUD 204 million earmarked under the Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative in the joint statement to support shared priorities. gov.au

  Agricultural trade:

• Australia’s agricultural exports to the ASEAN region reached AUD 2 billion in 2023.

> It is critical that Australian companies GO-OUT to neighboring ASEAN trading partners

The race is on in the Asia-Pacific Region to secure long term reliable partnerships in all There are growing narratives and opportunities for Australian firms by the fact that digital economy, clean energy, sustainable development, and people‐to‐people links are listed as priority ASEAN cooperation areas.

The Australian Pacific Economic Cooperation – APEC outcomes, drives 75% of Australia’s Trade and 1 in 4 Jobs

Given Australia’s strengths in raw materials, renewables and clean-energy transitions, the summit context offers an opportunity for Australia to position itself as a supplier and partner in the region’s future energy economy. Given Australia’s strengths in raw materials, renewables and clean-energy transitions, the summit context offers an opportunity for Australia to position itself as a supplier and partner in the region’s future energy economy. However, currently, Australia remains a commodity miner, rather than a dominant supply chain leader -particularly in Rare-Earths sector, highly in demand.