As I watched Brunei Darussalam’s impressive National Day celebration at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last Saturday, I reflected on the regional neighbourhood that the Abode of Peace shares with my country, Australia, and many others.
The cornerstone of Brunei’s engagement with the region since the resumption of its full independence 40 years ago has been its membership of ASEAN. Ensuring that ASEAN plays a central role in shaping the rules and norms by which our region operates has for many decades been a top priority for His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Like Brunei, Australia has a longstanding commitment to ASEAN and we look forward to welcoming His Majesty to Melbourne next week to commemorate this through the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.
Australia is tied together with ASEAN by both geography – from Brunei, Australia’s northwest coast is closer than several Southeast Asian cities – and by much more.
Education, defence, business and family links ensure we will be forever connected to our Southeast Asian neighbours.
We became ASEAN’s first dialogue partner in 1974. At next week’s special summit, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will join His Majesty and the leaders of other ASEAN member states to celebrate the significant progress we have achieved together in these 50 years – and to look ahead.
With His Majesty’s assistance during Brunei’s ASEAN Chair year in 2021, Australia became one of ASEAN’s first comprehensive strategic partners. This has prompted Australia and ASEAN to ramp up cooperation – including in energy transition, the digital economy, health, and countering human trafficking.
Together, ASEAN and Australia are delivering real outcomes. Through the Aus4ASEAN Digital Transformation and Futures Skills Initiative, for example, we are addressing our region’s future skills needs through short courses scholarships and policy dialogues. Many Bruneians have told me these initiatives have been invaluable as Brunei embarks on its digital economy agenda.
Australia has also supported 100 emerging leaders from ASEAN member states – including 10 Bruneians – to undertake master’s degrees in Australia through “Australia for ASEAN Scholarships”, in areas that will promote an enabling environment for peace, stability and prosperity.
Australia and Brunei have been working hard with ASEAN to promote mental health cooperation, after His Majesty and our then prime minster jointly drafted a statement on this at the 2021 East Asia Summit and persuaded other regional leaders – from United States President Joe Biden to Chinese President Xi Jinping – to sign up to it.
Australia has also pledged to support the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change, which will be hosted in Brunei.
A particular feature of Australia’s engagement with ASEAN is that we always endeavour to listen and respond to the needs of ASEAN member states. For example, in response to requests for us to strengthen our economic engagement with the region, Prime Minister Albanese commissioned Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 and is very focused on implementing it to achieve deeper investment and trade links. This will ultimately create more jobs, and better paying ones, for both Australians and Southeast Asians.
The summit will provide an excellent opportunity to further strengthen ASEAN-Australia partnerships, in order to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. In addition to a leaders’ plenary and retreat, the three-day summit will involve events centred around key focus areas for our shared region – business, emerging leaders, climate and clean energy, and maritime cooperation.
Brunei is sending high-calibre delegates from government, the private sector, academia and civil society to participate in each of these tracks.
I have no doubt that ASEAN’s smallest member will punch above its weight in these events, demonstrating its enduring commitment to ASEAN and its partnership with Australia.
Brunei and Australia share a region that is facing many challenges, including climate change, food production for a growing population and the spread of artificial intelligence.
We also share a vision for a region in which ASEAN and partners like Australia work together to turn these challenges into opportunities – for the stability, peace and prosperity of our shared neighbourhood.
I look forward to joining His Majesty, Prime Minister Albanese and other ASEAN leaders in Melbourne next week to see that vision put into action. – Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Luke Arnold
