On 17 March 2023, Ms. Usana Berananda, Director-General of Department of ASEAN Affairs, participated in the 35th ASEAN-Australia Forum in Vientiane, Lao PDR. It was co-chaired by Australia and the Lao PDR, as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations.

The Meeting discussed how to further strengthen cooperation under the ASEAN - Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), including programmes under the Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative. The Meeting also discussed the preparations for the 3rd ASEAN-Australia Summit and plans to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Australia-ASEAN Dialogue Relations, to be held in 2024. In addition, the Meeting also exchanged views on regional and international issues, while Australia stated that ASEAN lies at the heart of Australia’s foreign policy and reiterated its support to ASEAN centrality.

DG Berananda called for enhancing concrete cooperation in areas of connectivity and sustainable development, particularly in supply chains, infrastructure, smart cities, sustainable urbanization, digital capacity and e-commerce, while also advocating for greater people-to-people connectivity through Aus4ASEAN Scholarship programme. DG Berananda also stressed the need to promote cooperation on sustainable management of the environment, climate change clean energy and Bio-Circular-Green (BCG), especially through the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies in Thailand.

After the Meeting, DG Berananda met with Ms. Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, to exchange views on how to promote closer cooperation between ASEAN and Australia.