Indonesia-Australia 2+2 Meeting Reinforces Regional Resilience

RRI.CO.ID, Melbourne - Indonesia and Australia have agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership to promote peace, stability, and regional resilience through the 10th Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting (2+2) in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

The meeting, held at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices, was co-chaired by Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono, Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles.

The ministers emphasized the importance of strengthening the two countries’ partnership as close neighbors and fellow maritime nations with shared interests in creating a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.

“Indonesia and Australia are neighbors destined to live side by side. Therefore, we need to continue building stronger cooperation, not only for our interests today, but also for future generations,” Sugiono said.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Treaty on Common Security has elevated Indonesia-Australia relations to a higher level. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Richard Marles, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of the two countries working together to maintain regional peace and stability.

Sugiono also emphasized the importance of ensuring that the Plan of Action (PoA) under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership serves as an effective roadmap for translating the two countries’ strategic partnership into more concrete cooperation.

In the economic sector, Indonesia called for efforts to increase the trade balance and remove various trade barriers, including through the effective implementation of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).

“Economic cooperation needs to focus on strengthening reliable supply chains to support food and energy security for both countries and the region,” Sugiono said.

In discussing regional challenges, Sugiono put forward the Partnership for Regional Resilience (PRR) as a framework for Indonesia-Australia cooperation to strengthen regional resilience.

The concept covers cooperation in various sectors, including food and energy security, without creating a new alliance or bloc.

The 10th 2+2 meeting also resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on trilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Australia with Pacific countries. The MoU, signed by Sugiono and Wong, will serve as a foundation for the two countries to develop joint development cooperation with Pacific countries based on the needs and priorities of each partner.

Prior to the 2+2 meeting, Sugiono and Wong held a one-on-one meeting to discuss developments in bilateral relations and follow up on various cooperation agendas between the two countries.

Sugiono also attended the Foreign Ministers’ Sports Diplomacy Engagement at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and spoke in Indonesian with Collingwood Football Club captain Darcy Moore and students from Brunswick North West Primary School as part of efforts to promote the Indonesian language.

The 2+2 meeting serves as a strategic forum for Indonesia and Australia to discuss developments in bilateral relations as well as shared foreign policy, defense, and security priorities. This year’s meeting marked the first 2+2 meeting since Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed the Treaty on Common Security in Jakarta on February 6, 2026.