‘Unveiling the Indo-Pacific’ Workshop
November 2024
From 24–29 November, the Perth USAsia Centre hosted the ‘Unveiling the Indo-Pacific’ workshop in partnership with Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), with support from Invest & Trade WA.
Over five days, 15 emerging leaders from UII explored shared challenges and opportunities in the Indonesia-Australia relationship.
The program featured expert discussions on key trends shaping the Indo-Pacific ranging from geopolitics to public health, and climate change. It also featured site visits to highlight the policy implications of these complex issues such as ECU’s Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre. A lunch discussion at the Indonesian Consulate General provided insights into Indonesia’s foreign policy priorities and its regional leadership role.
The workshop also emphasized Western Australia’s unique ties to the Indo-Pacific. Sally Dawkins, Director of DFAT’s WA State Office, shared valuable perspectives on Western Australia’s contributions to Australia’s foreign policy. Participants visited Fremantle Port, a key gateway to the Indo-Pacific, to witness its operations first-hand.
To conclude the week, the delegation heard from key leaders, including the Hon. Jessica Shaw MLA, Parliamentary Secretary to the WA Premier; the Hon. Richard Court, former WA Premier and Ambassador to Japan; and the Centre’s CEO Gordon Flake. They discussed Australia’s role in shaping the Indo-Pacific, fostering global partnerships, and advancing regional prosperity.
To reflect on their learnings from the diverse program, the students developed written analyses on key issue in the region. These pieces cover Indonesian perspectives on great power competition as well as opportunities to deepen trade and investment between Australia and Indonesia. They further develop recommendations for Australia and Indonesia to jointly achieve a sustainable and equitable energy transition and discuss the strategic importance of social issues like labour and gender equality in the Indo-Pacific.
Read the students’ essays below:
