REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA, Friday 18 September 2015 – The ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group (EWG) on Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) Planning Conference for the 2016 PKO Field Training Exercise (FTX) was held on 16 to 18 September 2015 at the Grand Ambassador Hotel, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Yoon Soon-Gu, Director General, International Policy Bureau, Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea and Major General Ker Savoeun, Ministry of National Defense, Cambodia.
The meeting was officiated by Mr Baek Seungjoo, Vice Minister of National Defense, Republic of Korea. In his opening remarks, he expressed that the requirement for peacekeeping is on a sharp rise with the rapid spread of conflicts and the high frequency of terrorism. There is an urgent and clear need for the international community’s cooperation in responding to these non-traditional security threats. He further stated that for this cause, world leaders will gather end of the month, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, and discuss cooperation and contribution of resources to further empower UN peacekeeping efforts. Since 2010, multilateral security cooperation for regional peace and stability has evolved through ADMM-Plus.
The main objective of the meeting was to discuss the general concept and to develop plans for the 2016 PKO FTX. Among the agenda put forward in this meeting included the explanation of recent UN PKO policies and explanation of the proposed concept for the 2016 PKO FTX. This was followed by the group discussions to develop plans for 2016 PKO FTX.
The Planning Conference was attended by representatives from most of the ADMM-Plus countries and the ASEAN Secretariat; Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, United States of America and Vietnam. Brunei Darussalam was represented by Defence Attaché of Negara Brunei Darussalam to China.
The Middle Planning Conference is expected to take place in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from 28 to 30 October 2015. The 2016 PKO FTX is planned to take place in Pune, India from 2 to 8 March 2016.
ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group has become a lynchpin for regional security that fosters friendship and mutual trust between Member Countries through regular dialogues and cooperative activities. Beside the ADMM-Plus EWG on PKO, other EWGs established under the ADMM-Plus framework that focuses on practical military and defence cooperation are the EWG on Maritime Security, EWG on Counter Terrorism, EWG on Military Medicine, EWG on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and EWG on Humanitarian Mine Action.
