No one could have predicted the joint efforts and sacrifices that would need to be made in 2020 – a year defined by COVID-19 and the upheaval that has followed.

At their virtual gathering last week, ASEAN leaders tackled some of the most complex challenges the region has ever faced:  the devastating health impacts of the pandemic, recovery for battered economies, and the implications of the tectonic strategic shifts underway in the Indo-Pacific.

Amid the difficulties, the leadership on display by ASEAN last week was vital.

Australia was there too – as ASEAN’s oldest partner and friend – to support ASEAN leadership and centrality in the affairs of the region.

For Australia, the meetings marked an important new chapter for the ASEAN-Australia strategic partnership.  ASEAN and Australia have agreed to strengthen this partnership by holding Summits between our leaders each year, providing an important platform for deeper cooperation.

When Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed his ASEAN counterparts on the weekend, he said: “We are more than your neighbor – as your first dialogue partner, we are also your partner in the great recovery that is now occurring.

“ASEAN’s centrality is at the core of Australia's vision for the Indo-Pacific. We strongly support... the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and we remain committed to working with the region and helping the region recover from COVID-19.”

The future shape of the region is an interest we all share.

During the summit, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said: “I believe the partnership between ASEAN and Australia can be the main pillar of the paradigm of cooperation and collaboration for stability, peace and prosperity in the region”.

Australia believes the principles of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific – that Indonesia was central in developing – should guide the post-pandemic regional order.  Principles such as openness, transparency, inclusivity, a rules-based framework, respect for sovereignty and respect for international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and, of course, ASEAN centrality.

At the summit, Prime Minister Morrison announced a significant new package of support for Southeast Asia. A package that represents concrete cooperation under the four areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific – maritime, connectivity, sustainable development goals and economic development.

It is designed to give Southeast Asian countries options as they face the challenges of the times.

This package is in addition the A$1.5 billion (US$1.09 billion) loan Australia has provided to Indonesia to support its economic recovery and a raft of further bilateral support measures.

Australia has already played a crucial role in rolling out medical equipment and direct support to Indonesia and other neighbors in response to COVID-19.

We want all countries to have access to safe, effective and affordable COVID-19 vaccines when developed. Any country that discovers a COVID-19 vaccine must share it. Should Australia find one, we will share it.

As part of a A$500 million commitment to support access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Australia will contribute A$21 million to the new ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases, which will help combat COVID-19 and prepare the region for future pandemics. 

ASEAN and the broader Indo-Pacific is the engine room of the global economy and how we recover from COVID-19 will affect the world.

The historic signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement will do just that. The RCEP negotiations were led by ASEAN and coordinated by Indonesia.  The agreement sends a strong signal of economic openness and ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific.

To ensure RCEP is a success, Australia is spending A$46 million to help ASEAN countries implement this and other trade commitments. 

We also recognize the importance for Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries of their vast maritime resources. So we’re investing A$65 million to help their ongoing development of marine resources and ensure maritime domains are secure and prosperous. 

In order to grow our economies, we also need to develop quality infrastructure. This has been a priority of President Widodo for years.

Infrastructure is the backbone of our countries. It needs to be high-quality, it needs to be sustainable, and it needs to meet the needs of the communities it serves. We will invest a further A$70 million to support just that.

Australia’s approach to infrastructure investment is a partnership with Southeast Asian countries.  We have demonstrated expertise in developing infrastructure that we are keen to share, including on the transition to renewable energy technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Together, we can build smart, sustainable and resilient cities across the region.

That’s also why we will invest $13 million to support Southeast Asian partners work with technology standards-setting bodies to assist the region’s economies gear-up for the future. And to support our Mekong partners to recover from COVID-19, and to narrow the development gap in ASEAN, Australia also announced a new A$232 million Mekong-Australia Program. 

The health and prosperity of our countries rely on our region’s security and stability.

To bolster our region’s security needs, we have announced a further $104 million to support the closer defense ties and greater security capability.

The comprehensive initiatives announced by Australia at the Summit are an investment in resilience, recovery and security in our region. They are also an investment in the future of our partnership with Indonesia and our Southeast Asian neighbors.

Australia will be with ASEAN every step of the way.

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Gary Quinlan is Australian ambassador to Indonesia and Will Nankervis is Australian ambassador to ASEAN