Sydney will host the inaugural ASEAN-Australia Special Summit on 17-18 March. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia are close strategic and economic partners, and the Special Summit is an opportunity to make our region more secure and more prosperous.

As part of the Special Summit, Australia will welcome the Leaders of ASEAN member countries to further strengthen Australia’s ties to its regional partners.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that ‘ASEAN embodies opportunity in our region.’

The Special Summit will build on our deep legacy of economic cooperation, political dialogue, and the natural interweaving of our people to establish a contemporary, outward-looking partnership for the rapidly changing world we live in.

Two important events will lead in to the Special Summit: the Business Summit and the Counter-Terrorism Conference.

The Business Summit will help Australian and ASEAN businesses with the know-how and connections needed to strengthen our economic partnership. The Business Summit involves 3 events over two days, including a CEO Forum, SME Conference and a Women in Business Breakfast.