The relationship between Indonesia and Australia has never been stronger. We have built an enduring partnership for the 21st Century, based on shared interests and common values. Though neighbours by circumstance, we are close friends and partners by choice.
We have a mutual stake in each other's progress and prosperity. We share a commitment to maintaining peace and advancing security and prosperity in our region. As pluralist democracies and open societies, we seek to promote the values of freedom, good governance, tolerance, human rights and the rule of law. We value regional and multilateral institutions and are committed to making them work more effectively.
From the foundation of our strengthened bilateral ties, Indonesia and Australia are working together to address regional and global challenges. Our partnership is a strategic asset, and we are committed to increasing our cooperation in regional and global forums to advance common interests.
We have agreed to upgrade our comprehensive partnership. We have resolved, as leaders, to meet annually in either Australia or Indonesia. We have also agreed that our respective foreign and defence ministers should meet jointly each year. We will continue to build on the contribution of the Australia Indonesia Ministerial Forum towards strengthening our relationship.
Between our two peoples, ties are growing. A record number of Australians travelled to Indonesia in 2009 and Australia is one of the most popular destinations for Indonesians studying abroad. We are committed to further strengthening these links in areas such as education, culture, media, business and sport. To this end, we will support the establishment of an Australia Indonesia Leadership Dialogue to bring together public figures, business people, academics, opinion-leaders and others for wide-ranging exchanges. We will consult regularly to promote increased and meaningful people-to-people exchanges. We are committed to strengthening our understanding of each others' cultures through increased cooperation on education (including through student and staff exchanges), joint research, dual and joint degrees, and professional development for teachers.
We are committed to realising the potential of the economic relationship between our economies. We have concluded the Australia-Indonesia Free Trade Agreement Joint Feasibility Study and are now considering next steps. We share the goal of increasing the volume of bilateral trade and investment.
Security cooperation under the framework of the Lombok Treaty is progressing, to our mutual benefit. Our defence forces worked closely together in responding to the Sumatra earthquake in September 2009. Our law enforcement agencies are cooperating to tackle the threat of terrorism. Indonesian successes in disrupting and dismantling terrorist networks and in the arrest of terrorist leaders have dealt a significant blow to the threat of terrorism in the region.
Australia and Indonesia are working with shared purpose to address the complex challenge of people smuggling, trafficking in persons and irregular migration. We are pursuing comprehensive regional responses, including through our co-chairing of the Bali Process. Complementing these regional efforts, we are working to enhance our bilateral cooperation, consistent with our Lombok Treaty and its Plan of Action. Our agreement on a new Implementation Framework for Cooperation to Combat People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons will provide for enhanced cooperation on prevention and disruption of people smuggling ventures, border and immigration management, and legal processes. Australia welcomes Indonesia's plan to introduce a law to criminalise people smuggling this year.
We are committed, as mandated by the Lombok Treaty and its Plan of Action, to reinvigorate our joint efforts to prevent and combat transnational crimes, including through extradition and mutual legal assistance.
We have concluded a bilateral Arrangement on Consular Notification and Assistance to provide a framework for the provision of consular access and assistance to our nationals. We will conduct further consultations on issues involved in the transfer of sentenced prisoners between our two countries, including legal instruments and practical implementation.
We are working hand-in-hand to meet Indonesia's development priorities in a way that furthers both our interests. Australia will provide a further A$215 million over four years to support Indonesia's National Community Empowerment Program (PNPM). Building on the success of the Australia Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction, Australia will provide assistance towards the establishment of Indonesia's Disaster Management Rapid Response Force.
We welcome the G20's emergence as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and value our membership of the G20. Australia and Indonesia are committed to working together, and with other G20 countries, to drive an ambitious reform agenda to lay the foundations of a sustainable, stable and balanced global economic framework. We recognise the importance of our representation in the G20 and acknowledge our responsibilities accordingly.
Australia and Indonesia agree it is in our interests to examine the implications for regional architecture as economic and strategic weight shifts to the Asia-Pacific. We support the continued strengthening of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and remain committed to APEC as the pre-eminent forum for regional economic cooperation. We welcome ASEAN's contribution towards regional stability and acknowledge ASEAN's centrality in regional arrangements. We see value in continuing discussions on the institutional architecture of our region, with ASEAN at its foundation. Those discussions include Australia's Asia Pacific community initiative.
We will continue to work closely, through forums such as the Regional Interfaith Dialogue and the Bali Democracy Forum, to promote positive norms and values throughout the region, including good governance, democracy, tolerance and mutual respect amongst faiths.
Side-by-side, we are working to address climate change. We support the Copenhagen Accord and are committed to its implementation. We welcome the good progress made on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD) at Copenhagen. We are continuing to take practical action through the Indonesia - Australia Forest Carbon Partnership to support this outcome. We have established an A$30 million Sumatra Forest Carbon Partnership as the second joint practical activity on REDD, bringing the total contribution to our Partnership to A$70 million.
Indonesia welcomes Australia's further commitment to support the Coral Triangle Initiative as a partnership to safeguard the region's extraordinary marine and coastal biological resources.
The partnership between Indonesia and Australia is alive with opportunities. As leaders, we are committed to strengthening this vital relationship, expanding it into new areas, and promoting an enhanced comprehensive partnership that will benefit both countries and contribute to regional stability and prosperity.