Regional Stability & Cooperation

Regional stability is essential for growth and poverty reduction.

However new challenges to stability are emerging in the form of transboundary threats like pandemics, disasters, and climate change.

Transnational crimes such as people trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorism also threaten regional stability.

Poverty can create as well as exacerbate these forces. For example, an individual's vulnerability to disease and crime also undermines their ability to participate fully and productively in society.

Such forces pose direct threats to development as well as deter investment, diminish legitimate and stable employment prospects and impact on neighbouring countries.

Transboundary threats require a transnational response as they can only be managed effectively through regional networks and cooperation.

Regional cooperation also provides opportunities to increase economic growth and streamline the costs of government through greater regional integration.

Regional responses to transboundary threats

Pandemics, disasters, global warming, access to water, and transnational crime require not only national but also transnational responses.

These threats to development require effective and close cooperation between countries in the region, including Australia. Institutional and personal networks need to become an important feature of the Asia-Pacific landscape. Those networks will be particularly important in averting or responding to crises.

Promoting regional integration

Australia provide assistance to organisations that promote regional integration and cooperation. Australia's support to the ASEAN Secretariat stretches back over a period of 30 years and will continue to increase with a focus on security and prosperity in the East ASEAN subregion in collaboration with multilateral development banks and key donors.

Likewise, Australia also provides support for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum as well as programs that contribute to greater integration within Asia and between South Asia (the Indian subcontinent) and East Asia.

Promoting regional governance in the Pacific

Governments of small countries are more expensive than larger ones, as the fixed costs of establishing and running services are shared among fewer citizens.

Governments in small countries also find it difficult to implement programs impartially because of the problem of familiarity - everyone knows everyone. Factors such as these require Pacific island states to take a more regional approach in addressing governance and are embodied in the Pacific Plan, endorsed by Pacific Island Forum leaders in October 2005.

Australia supports a range of initiatives identified by Pacific leaders for immediate implementation under the Pacific Plan.

In addition, Australia works closely with Pacific partners on longer term Pacific Plan initiatives to promote greater regional cooperation.

See Pacific Plan [external website]

Aid and counter-terrorism

Terrorism is a trans-national phenomenon that threatens peace, security and prosperity. The tragic events of 11 September 2001 and Bali in October 2002 emphasised the importance of a concerted response to terrorism.

The Australian aid program is helping to build the capacity of developing countries in the region to respond effectively to potential terrorist threats. The aid program is assisting partner governments to:

strengthen police, immigration, banking authorities, border and customs control to combat illegal movement of arms, money, people and substances
draft and enact legislation to combat illicit commercial ventures and trans-national crime, including money laundering, people smuggling and terrorism
improve the functioning of law and justice systems;
promote peace building, conflict resolution and reconstruction in conflict affected areas
improve the quality of basic education, including the monitoring of education standards in non-state schools
implement the Nasonini Declaration on Regional Security in the Pacific, which includes a commitment to implement internationally agreed anti-terrorism measures, such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 and the Financial Action Task Force 8 Special Recommendations
implement the APEC Leaders' Statement on Fighting Terrorism and Promoting Growth made in Los Cabos, Mexico in October 2002, where leaders committed to take measures to secure trade in the APEC region by protecting cargo, ships, aviation and people in transit, halt terrorist financing and promote cyber-security.

Aid stories and people

Examples of Australia's aid program in action:

Other information

See elsewhere on this website:

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