Leaders from nine out of the ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries are convening in Melbourne, Australia, for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The summit, which marks 50 years since Australia became the first official partner of the Asian bloc, is set to address key regional issues and strengthen ties between the participating nations.
One notable absence from the summit is Myanmar, which has been excluded from political representation due to its failure to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis and violence following a military coup in 2021. However, East Timor's leader will be present as an official ASEAN observer.
