The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that Sydney will be the host city for the upcoming ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The event, expected to be held in March 2018, will mark the first time Australia has hosted a summit with ASEAN, Australia’s third largest trading partner.

The centrepiece of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit will be the Leaders’ Summit and Retreat. There will also be two major side-events: A business summit which will bring together leaders of industry and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to unlock new opportunities for job-creation, investment and enterprise; and a Counter-Terrorism Conference that will underscore our global leadership and collective regional action to combat terrorism.

The Business Summit will help Australian and ASEAN businesses with the know-how and connections needed to strengthen that economic partnership. It will comprise three events over two days, including a CEO Forum, SME Conference and a Women in Business Breakfast.

This summit is expected to provide small and medium-sized business owners who wish to begin / continue to export to ASEAN from Australia with key information and advice from top leaders in the industry. It will bring together regional specialists, business leaders and successful exporters to share their knowledge and insights with Australian SMEs who are, or are considering, exporting to ASEAN. 

Delegates who attend the SME Conference will have a unique opportunity to tap into expertise and obtain advice about free trade agreements, government programs and trade facilitation services from regional specialists, business leaders and successful exporters brought together to share their knowledge and insights. 

Alongside the SME Conference, there will be an information centre called The Marketplace, where delegates can receive tailored and practical advice about getting started or expanding in ASEAN from government agencies, peak industry bodies and trade promotion offices. 

This event is free to attend. Register online here.