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INDONESIA-AUSTRALIA JOINT STATEMENT
JAKARTA, 2 NOVEMBER 2010

1. The first official bilateral visit to Indonesia by Prime Minister Julia Gillard underscores the closeness and the importance of the relations between the two neighbouring countries and strategic partners. In the same year, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a state visit to Australia on 9-11 March 2010 during which a historic speech was delivered to the joint session of the Australian Parliament outlining the strength, challenges and the renewed commitment of both countries to work closely bilaterally, regionally and globally. Both democratic countries are close friends and partners in advancing prosperity, peace and security in the region and beyond.

2. Indonesia and Australia, having reached maturity in their relationship, are committed to renew with vigour their commitment to upgrade the existing bilateral relations into an enhanced comprehensive relationship. Prime Minister Gillard’s visit to Jakarta follows the agreement between the leaders of the two countries last March to upgrade the partnership, with annual leaders meetings alternating between Indonesia and Australia.

3. Acknowledging the established mechanism of the Indonesia-Australia Ministerial Forum (IAMF), Indonesia and Australia are committed to follow up the recommendation of building on the contribution of the IAMF towards the strengthening of the bilateral relationship. The upcoming 10th IAMF which will be held in Indonesia, serves as an important venue for laying out and further enhancing the bilateral cooperation.

4. Complementing the leaders’ annual meeting, the meeting of our respective foreign and defence ministers will be held annually at the appropriate time. It is favourable that the first of such ministerial meetings be preceded by a meeting of senior officials including the Security Cooperation Consultation Group as the agreed mechanism to review existing cooperation and coordinate and set priorities of the Plan of Action of the Lombok Treaty.

5. Indonesia and Australia are working together with shared interest to address security and defence challenges. Both countries welcome cooperation by relevant institutions to implement commitments and mandates under the Lombok Treaty and its Plan of Action, including through the conclusion of negotiations of “the Arrangement between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia and the Department of Defence of Australia for the Implementation of the Lombok Treaty and Its Plan of Action on Defence Cooperation”. Once signed, the Arrangement will provide a stronger and more comprehensive basis for security and defence cooperation between the two countries.

6. Indonesia and Australia are pleased to announce agreement to commence negotiations on an Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).The decision to embark on negotiations will take forward the shared goal in the March 2010 joint statement of increasing the volume of bilateral trade and investment. A partnership which covers economic cooperation, trade, and investment will further contribute to a closer trade and investment relationship that is balanced and mutually beneficial for Indonesia and Australia.

7. In order to enhance people-to-people links, both countries agree to hold the first meeting of the Indonesia Australia Leadership Dialogue in the near future. The terms of reference including format, participants, and themes of the Dialogue are to be further discussed and jointly agreed. Such a regular Dialogue is expected to make significant contribution to the people-to-people links and cooperation at senior levels. We are committed to conclude the on-going stocktaking exercise to review and identify possible ways and means to further promote increased and more meaningful people-to-people exchanges.

8. In addressing the complex challenges of people smuggling and trafficking in persons, Indonesia and Australia reiterate their commitment to working together closely under the auspices of the Bali Process and bilaterally under the Lombok Treaty, including through the Implementing Framework for Cooperation on People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons. It is also understood that trans-national crime including people smuggling and trafficking in persons is a regional issue that requires a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders in the region, especially the countries of origin, transit and destination, including in close cooperation with relevant international agencies. As co-chairs of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Trans-national Crime, both countries underline their shared commitment to promote cooperation including identifying new initiatives in making our regional efforts more robust and effective. In that regard, Indonesia and Australia look forward to convening a ministerial-level meeting of the Bali Process in the near future and holding further discussions on Australia’s proposal for a regional protection framework which addresses matters including processing, returns and resettlement.

9. In the spirit of cooperation, both countries agree to strengthen police-to-police cooperation in the effort of preventing and combating trans-national crime, and enhancing counter-terrorism, sharing information and capacity building especially on combating terrorism. Australia commended Indonesia’s commitment and successes in dealing with the threat from terrorism and welcomed the establishment of Indonesia’s new National Counter-Terrorism Agency. Both countries will continue to cooperate closely in addressing this threat in the interests of both countries.

10. Both countries are committed to enhance and strengthen mutual cooperation across legal sectors, in areas such as mutual legal assistance, extradition, asset recovery, and development of legislation. In the case of cooperation on extradition, both sides are committed to facilitate, in accordance with their respective national laws, existing bilateral agreements and relevant multilateral conventions, requests for extradition in a timely manner.

11. The signing of the Arrangement on Consular Notification and Assistance in March 2010 provides a strong framework for consular access and assistance to our nationals. Indonesia and Australia reaffirm their commitment to implement fully the terms of the arrangements as a priority. In that regard the two countries agree to hold a senior officials meeting to address relevant issues in the near future consistent with relevant international instruments.

12. Both countries acknowledged the long history of bilateral cooperation and capacity-building in agriculture. Australia and Indonesia are committed to further strengthening cooperation in agriculture, including quarantine, joint research and capacity building to promote trade and investment, particularly in beef and crop production, as well as to enhance food security and innovation. Both countries welcomed continued dialogue between Agriculture Ministers.

13. Indonesia and Australia recognize the importance of cooperation in preventing, combating and eliminating of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing between the two countries and in the Asia-Pacific region. Both countries are satisfied with the current progress of cooperation in fisheries surveillance and response activities through the Indonesia-Australia Fisheries Surveillance Forum (IASF) and more broadly through the Australia and Indonesia-led ‘Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) to Promote Responsible Fishing Practices including Combating IUU Fishing in the Region’. Both countries also recognize that IUU Fishing is a major threat to the food security in the Asia-Pacific Region as stated in the Paracas Declaration of the 3rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ocean Related Ministerial Meeting, 11-12 October 2010 in Paracas, Peru, and committed to promote as widest as possible application of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime to combat IUU Fishing.

14. Indonesia and Australia reiterate their commitment to the Australia Indonesia Development Partnership valued at $2.5 billion over five years. Both leaders acknowledged the success of this partnership, which has seen the two countries working together to increase access to basic education, improve the health of mothers and children in Eastern Indonesia, reduce HIV/AIDS, provide water and sanitation to poor families and strengthen Indonesia’s flagship social protection program, PNPM.

15. Australia and Indonesia agreed on a new $500 million program to support Indonesia’s goal of providing every child with a full nine years of education by 2015. Australia and Indonesia have a strong history of working together to support better education outcomes for Indonesian children. Over 330,000 Indonesian children now have access to school because of previous joint work in basic education. The new $500 million education program will build on this success. It will build or expand up to 2000 schools, support around 1,500 Islamic schools to achieve accreditation against national education standards, improve the quality of school management across Indonesia, and support research and analysis in education.

16. Indonesia and Australia welcome the continuing educational cooperation on partnership, exchange program, scholarship and training at all levels of education. Indonesia and Australia are committed to increase the number of students studying in each other’s country, among others through the Australian Scholarship, the ACICIS Program and the Indonesian Darmasiswa Scholarship. Both countries acknowledged the further strengthened cooperation in youth and sport, particularly in youth exchange, volunteer, expert, as well as entrepreneurship and leadership programs.

17. Both countries enjoy the increased growth of travellers to each respective country. Therefore, Indonesia and Australia are committed to enhance cooperation in the tourism sector as a means to promote people-to-people contacts. In that regard, both countries are committed to continuing dialogue to further promote while reducing impediments for more in depth and extensive people-to-people links and cooperation.

18. On the institutional architecture of our region, both countries reaffirmed their support for the East Asia Summit as a leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on broad strategic, political and economic issues, the centrality of ASEAN in regional architecture and welcomed the decision by EAS leaders to invite the Russian Federation and the United States of America to join the EAS in 2011. Indonesia and Australia welcomed the first-ever ministerial-level participation of Russia and the United States at the EAS meeting in Hanoi and looked forward to their participation at the leader level at the next EAS meeting in 2011 in Indonesia.

19. Indonesia and Australia welcomed the results of the ASEAN-Australia Summit in October 2010 which reviewed and further deepened cooperation between ASEAN and Australia in areas of mutual interests.

20. Natural disasters are a serious challenge for each country. Australia expressed its condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the tsunami in the Mentawai Islands and the Mount Merapi eruption. Indonesia acknowledged Australia’s A$ 2.1 million package of support for those disasters. Both countries reiterated their commitment to work together to strengthen disaster response, management and mitigation capabilities. Both leaders expressed their satisfaction with the success of the Australia Indonesia Disaster Reduction Facility. With the entry into force of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster management (AADMER) on 24 December 2009, including the establishment of ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), Indonesia anticipates that the cooperation in responding to natural disasters and reducing loss due to disasters can be improved. The AHA Centre is expected to be in operation by the end of 2010. Indonesia and Australia are looking forward to working together to support the Centre. In this context, Australia appreciated the initiative of Indonesia and Japan to co-chair of the ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercise (ARF DiREX) 2011 in Manado in March 2011.

21. The leaders also noted that the joint commitment to the regional promotion of democracy was underlined at the highest levels with the opportunity of Indonesia and Australia co-chairing the Bali Democracy Forum. Indonesia looks forward to Australia’s participation in the third Bali Democracy Forum scheduled to be held in Bali in December 2010.

22. Indonesia and Australia are committed to working closely in promoting greater and stronger cooperation in the South Pacific region in particular through the Pacific Islands Forum. The promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights, rule of law and capacity building are identified as areas of possible joint undertakings of the two countries in the South Pacific. As advocates of the Southwest Pacific Dialogue, both countries will promote further cooperation among participating countries in relevant areas.

23. Indonesia and Australia recognize the value of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as a key forum for advancing free and open trade and investment in the region. Both leaders commended the tremendous progress made in 2010 by the economies towards the Bogor Goals, as shown in the report of the assessment on the achievement of the Bogor Goals, and encouraged all member economies to embrace further measures that will enhance regional economic integration and growth prospects. As fellow founders of APEC, Indonesia and Australia will maintain their leadership role in APEC. Australia is committed to support Indonesia’s chairmanship in 2013.

24. The G20 summit in Seoul comes at an important time for the global economy. Leaders agreed to work closely together in advance of the summit to ensure it delivers key reforms necessary to strengthen the global economy, provide a more balanced and sustainable framework for global economic growth, and outline a roadmap for the conclusion of the Doha Round.

25. Both countries recognize the importance of marine resources for the livelihood of people living in coastal areas. Australia appreciates Indonesia’s leadership on the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF), as well as the Manado Ocean Declaration 2009 in the framework of the World Ocean Conference agreed to advance discussion on oceans and climate change. Indonesia welcomes Australia’s further commitment to support the Coral Triangle Initiative as a partnership to safeguard the region’s extraordinary marine and coastal biological resources.

26. As climate change constitutes a major threat to achieving sustainable development, both countries acknowledge the global nature of the problem and the threat posed to the prosperity and security of all countries. Both leaders share the view that the most effective way to achieve this is through a global comprehensive climate change agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, agreed upon through the two-track approach as mandated by the Bali Action Plan and acknowledging our undertakings in the Copenhagen Accord. Thus, both countries are committed to working towards the attainment of an achievable and implementable agreement in the forthcoming COP 16/CMP 6 in Cancun, Mexico through a set of decisions that will help enable the conclusion of a balanced, comprehensive, and legally binding instrument the next COP 17/CMP 7 in 2011.

27. In the ongoing bilateral cooperation to address climate change, both countries will continue to take practical steps through the Indonesia-Australia Forest Carbon Partnership to support the REDD initiative. The establishment of the A$30 million Sumatra Forest Carbon Partnership as the second joint practical activity on REDD, will bring the total contribution towards the Indonesia-Australia Forest Carbon Partnership to A$70 million. Indonesia is confident that this initiative will further support developing the necessary policy, technical and financial capabilities for participation in future international carbon markets for reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).

28. Both leaders reaffirmed their interests in addressing global and regional challenges that have made Indonesia and Australia important partners including through the G20. These challenges include maintaining peace, security and prosperity in the region, through diverse cooperation on handling trans-national crime; people smuggling and trafficking in persons; climate change; environment, and; food security, agriculture including investment and market access, energy security and human security issues.

     

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