Key Points
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host nine ASEAN world leaders and hundreds of delegates in Melbourne.
- Several issues are expected to dominate the agenda, including economic development and maritime security.
- As host, Australia will focus discussions on regional goals, avoiding domestic issues such as human rights.
Nine Southeast Asian leaders have joined hundreds of diplomats, academics and officials in Melbourne for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024.
This year's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, hosted by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is the biggest diplomatic gathering of world leaders in Australia since 2018.
The series of meetings is expected to focus on challenges facing the region, including economic development and responses to Chinese territorial claims in key maritime trade routes.
So what is ASEAN? And what will the leaders discuss at this year's summit?
What is the ASEAN-Australia summit?
This year's summit commemorates the 50-year relationship between ASEAN members and Australia, its oldest official dialogue partner.
From Monday to Wednesday this week, hundreds of diplomats, academics and officials will join world leaders at a number of official and sideline meetings to discuss different policies and issues.
Why is ASEAN important?
Dr Avery Poole, an affiliate of the School of Politics and International Relations at Monash University, said the summit is important to Australia as it signifies our ongoing engagement and prioritisation of the region.
"The ASEAN-Australia relationship is at the centre, but there will be a whole lot of discussions going on at the sidelines around a number of issues like regional economy, multilateral security, clean energy — all sorts of things," she said.
The discussions strengthen relations and shape policies that help achieve shared goals for the region's future, she added.
It is also important to 1.04 million people living in Australia who were either born in or have family in ASEAN member states.
How many countries are part of ASEAN?
The ASEAN regional bloc consists of ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Timor-Leste will observe the summit, while Myanmar officials are temporarily suspended from participating.
Why are Myanmar officials not attending ASEAN?
Myanmar, which was admitted in the 1990s, has lost its seat at the table as it has
"The idea was that Myanmar would comply with its ASEAN neighbours in terms of working towards a more secure situation, fewer refugees travelling over the borders into neighbouring Thailand and other countries," Poole said.
The country remains unstable, with significant unrest, multiple coups and the continued oppression of ethnic minorities drawing international criticism and triggering ASEAN to temporarily pause its involvement.
What will be raised at the 2024 ASEAN summit?
Economy and security are the two major themes of the ASEAN-Australia summit.
"Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia will be keen to see indications by Australia of the intention to grow and develop the economic relationship," Poole said.
Beijing's stance in the South China Sea is expected to feature prominently in discussions, also claimed by members such as the Philippines and Vietnam.
She noted that Southeast Asian leaders also want to see Australia commit to multilateral security, particularly maritime security.
"That's not just for usual security regions but because it's important to regional economic growth. The Malacca Straits for example need to be safe and secure so shipping rates are secure," Poole said.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong kicked off talks in Melbourne by announcing an additional $262.5 million in development and maritime security programs.
What issues will be avoided at the ASEAN summit?
Poole said activists will be "disappointed" to find human rights issues will not be on the table, despite a backsliding of human rights records in several member countries.
Protesters calling for more attention to the political situation in Myanmar during a protest outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett
"That will be inevitably disappointing for those who would like there to be more pressure on southeast Asian states to work towards better human rights records."
