Australia and Indonesia have agreed on a treaty-level defense pact allowing their militaries to operate in each other’s countries. Indonesia’s President-elect, Prabowo Subianto, discussed the agreement during his visit to Canberra with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
At a joint press conference with Prabowo, Prime Minister Albanese they were said that the pact would be vital for both nations’ security and the stability of their shared region. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles highlighted that Indonesia has the longest maritime boundary with Australia.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has urged Australian leaders to address human rights issues with President-elect Prabowo. The organization called on Australia to seek commitments from Prabowo to uphold religious freedom, protect Indigenous and religious minorities, and revise policies that discriminate against women, girls, people with disabilities, and LGBT individuals.
