MALAYSIA, Thursday 23 January 2014 – The 7th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus Experts’ Working Group (ADMM-Plus EWG) on Maritime Security materialised in Melaka, Malaysia.
The meeting was co-chaired by Madam Suriani binti Ahmad, Undersecretary, Policy and Strategic Planning Division, Ministry of Defence, Malaysia and Commodore Stuart Mayer, Royal Australian Navy and Director General of Navy Capability, Plans and Engagement of Department of Defence, Australia. The meeting was attended by delegates from all ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and Plus countries.
The Head of Delegation from Brunei Darussalam for the Meeting was Haji Adi Ihram Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud, Acting Director of Defence Policy, accompanied by Lt Col (L) Pg Mohammad bin Pg Damit, Commanding Officer Training Royal Brunei Navy, Pg Mohd Yusre bin Pg Hj Daud, Defence Policy officer and Captain (L) Mohd Azrin bin Haji Mahmud, Commanding Officer, KDB Berkat.
The 7th ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security Meeting was held back to back with ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security Seminar on 22nd January 2014 where speakers from Malaysia and Australia deliver presentations on key maritime security issues and challenges.
The meeting discussed agendas and deliberated on the initiatives that have been raised during the 6th ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security in Sydney in 2013 including PASSEX by USA, Combined MS-CT Exercise by Australia and Networking for Young Officers by Singapore. Delegates were shared on the outcome of other initiatives in maritime security architecture i.e., ASEAN Maritime Forum and Extended ASEAN Maritime Forum in 2013 hosted by Malaysia, RAN Seapower Conference hosted by Australia and International Maritime Security Symposium in December 2013 hosted by Indonesia. Further deliberations were also delivered on the ADMM-Plus EWG maritime Security work plan 2014 -2016 by the next cycle co-chair.
The 7th meeting for the ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security ended with a handing over ceremony to the next cycle co-chairs 2014 – 2016 Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand. The next ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security will be conducted in June 2014 New Zealand.
