Australian Embassy
The Philippines

SP150302 - Welcome Reception for the 2015 ASEAN-Australia Building Secure Foundations for Regional Frameworks Workshop

Remarks by Ambassador Bill Tweddell
Welcome Reception for the
2015 ASEAN-Australia Building Secure Foundations for Regional Frameworks Workshop
2 March 2015

I would like to thank Commissioner Siegfred B Mison and the Bureau of Immigration for co-hosting this event with Australia.

Australia supports ASEAN’s regional integration agenda and welcomes the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community.

An important aspect of this support is the Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Partnership, which was agreed to at last year’s ASEAN-Australia leaders’ summit.

The ASEAN-Australia Program of Work on immigration matters, and its associated workshops, are a practical demonstration of Australia’s commitment to the Plan of Action.

I trust that you will find the Building Secure Foundations for Regional Frameworks Workshop over the coming few days fruitful.

It presents an opportunity to discuss aspects of and challenges around the ASEAN Regional Visa Framework, and for countries with diverse perspectives to share their experiences.

Multilateral cooperation and the sharing of information will be critical to success of this important initiative.

Cooperation between states will enable the development of effective risk-based and intelligence-led systems that will facilitate genuine travellers, while at the same time combatting transnational crime.

The ASEAN Regional Visa Framework is therefore an opportunity to reap the benefits of increased people flows through the region, while also making the region more secure from threats that seek to harm our societies.

We look forward to working with you over the coming days to achieve some good, practical outcomes.