In the face of a heightening strategic environment, the need for collective leadership has never been greater. ASEAN exemplifies this – fostering trust, promoting peace and stability, and providing a platform for dialogue. That is why Australia is supporting efforts to reinforce ASEAN-led mechanisms that prevent conflict before it begins. That is why Australia is prioritising our region, our relationships, and the agreed rules that protect us all.

The ASEAN-Australia Joint Leaders’ Statement on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management in the ASEAN-Lled Regional Architecture (28 October 2025) reaffirms our recognition that peace and stability in our region are a collective responsibility. It sends a clear signal that, in the face of mounting challenges, we are united in choosing dialogue over confrontation, and cooperation over division.

Conflict is neither inevitable nor easily contained once it begins. For Australia, conflict prevention means fostering a region where sovereignty is respected, disputes are settled peacefully in accordance with international law, and all countries – large and small – can thrive. This requires trust, transparency, and practical tools to de-escalate tensions. We all have a role to play in assuring peace.

ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the East Asia Summit, are central to this effort. ASEAN's voice is unique and consequential – shaping norms, setting expectations and influencing behaviours across the region – and underpinned by a pragmatic approach to managing tensions and promoting mutual understanding.

ASEAN’s commitment to peace, stability and dialogue has long been central to its vision. You see it echoed in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, the ASEAN Charter, and in the forward-looking ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future. This same spirit is reflected in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), which will mark its 50th anniversary in 2026.

Building on this foundation, Australia is focused on practical, collective leadership, seen in initiatives like our Conflict Prevention Workshops with ASEAN, co-sponsored by Indonesia and Malaysia. These efforts are not just symbolic, but a direct investment in strengthening ASEAN-led mechanisms to prevent conflict and manage crises before they escalate. 

Australia stands with Southeast Asia not just in principle but through concrete support for the rules and norms that underpin regional stability. This includes our strong support for international legal frameworks, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). International frameworks like the 1982 UNCLOS matter because they help keep global corridors stable and secure.

Internationally, Australia supports vital peacekeeping operations, including with Vietnam, where we work alongside personnel deploying to the UN Mission in South Sudan – providing strategic airlift, training, and equipment. Through Australia’s current term on the UN Peacebuilding Commission, we are helping strengthen the multilateral system and support efforts to prevent conflict both in our region and across the world.

The Leaders’ Statement is a call to action. Conflict is not inevitable – but preventing it demands collective leadership, cooperation, and trust. The Statement reflects a commitment to translate shared principles into practical measures that reduce risk, strengthen transparency, and build resilience.

Australia is determined to play our part because we understand the dire cost of conflict and the immense value of peace. Because when diplomacy fails, it is not just ideals that are lost – it is lives, livelihoods and generations of progress. At a time of global disruption, Australia is unwavering in our support for peace, prosperity and growth in Southeast Asia.

Op-ed  by Australian Ambassador to the Lao PDR

KPL