ASEAN–Australia Development Cooperation Program

The ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program (AADCP or AADCP II) is an international development agency affiliated with ASEAN which works with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in order to promote regional cooperation and development.

History

AADCP's precursor, a program called the ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Program (AAECP), was founded in 1974. AADCP can be seen as a next phase of regional cooperation between Australia and Southeast Asia. The program was established after the membership of Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Lao PDR into the bloc. Planning for the new agency initially began on 1999 while operations of this new organization were scheduled to begin on 2005. On August, 2002, Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ASEAN committing A$45 million to the next phase.

Function

The purpose of AACDP is to promote cooperation between Australia and ASEAN in areas of agreed regional development priorities. It is funded by Australia's overseas aid agency, AusAID, a principal foreign aid management organization within the Australian government, operating under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It was continued to keep pace with economic progress in Southeast Asia and to promote the strengthening of the relationship between ASEAN and Australia. Offices of AACP are located in Jakarta.

External links

• AusAID, East Asia, Program overview