This paper, and the three additional papers connected to it, set out the evidence for that narrative. They examine where development and strategic policy intersect, and explore the opportunities and limits of how cooperation advances Australia’s national interests in multilateralism, regional growth and lasting peace.
Key messages:
- The prosperity and economic growth of Southeast Asia and the Pacific is fundamental to Australia’s national interests.
- A less prosperous region weakens Australia’s trade and investment interests and can lead to increased political instability, transnational crime and migration.
- Development cooperation supports the foundations necessary for growth and prosperity: growing human capital, improving governance and investing in economic infrastructure.
- It also contributes to economic growth directly through supporting key economic sectors like agriculture and facilitating trade and investment opportunities.
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