BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Monday 18 March 2013 – The 3rd ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (3rd AMOIM) heldyesterday at the Empire Hotel and Country Club Hotel, Brunei Darussalam ended with various good discussions.
The Chariman, First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Aziz bin Mohd Tamit, Joint Force Commander Royal Brunei Armed Forces in his opening remarks highlighted this year’s theme “Securing Our People Our Future Together”which reflects the significant emphasis on the values of security and livelihood of our people hence the focus on enhancing preparedness and military to military coordination.
The key outcome of the meeting was the production of the ASEAN Military Two-Year Activity Work Plan 2013-2105, encompassing a continuation of the activities held in previous years hosted on rotational basis as well as new initiatives on professional knowledge sharing, people to people interaction and practical cooperation in the form of military exercises.
The progress in term of preparation for the upcoming military activities was also shared in the meeting. Brunei Darussalam updated the meeting on the preparations towards the 2nd ASEAN Militaries’ Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise (2nd AHX) to be held on the 16 June 2013 and to be co-hosted with Singapore as well as the inaugural ADMM-Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise (ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Exercise) to be held 17-20 June 2013. Indonesia updated the meeting on the progress of ADMM-Plus Counter Terrorism Exercise to be held in Indonesia, 9-13 September 2013. Thailand shared the meeting on the preparation for the ASEAN Regional Forum-Disaster Relief Exercise (ARFDIRex) to be held on 5-11 May 2013, the international seminar on ‘Climate Change and Its Security Implications’ to be held, 24-27 March 2013 and on ‘Strengthening Strategic Security Cooperation in ASEAN’ to be held 27-31 March 2013. Thailand also briefed the meeting on the plan for the 3rd AHX and the ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Exercise to be held in Thailand in 2014.
During the meeting, delegates of the 3rd AMOIM were updated on military operations and activities that were hosted by respective ASEAN Countries in 2012. These include the 13th ASEAN Chief of Armies Multilateral Meeting (13th ACAMM), the 22nd ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (22nd AARM) and the 6th ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (6th ANCM) hosted by Brunei Darussalam; the ASEAN Chiefs of Military Medicine Conference (ACMMC) and Counter Terrorism Exercise (CTX) hosted by Indonesia and the latter co-hosted with Singapore; the ASEAN Air Chiefs’ Conference hosted by Malaysia; the ASEAN Junior Air Force Officer Interaction, the inaugural meeting and the establishment of ASEAN Peacekeeping Centre Network (ASEAN PKC Network) and the Thailand-Cambodia Joint/Combined Exercise 2012 on HADR hosted by Thailand; and the ASEAN Navies Young Officer Interaction and ASEAN Young Military Medicine Officers Exchange hosted by Vietnam.
The 3rd AMOIM brings together the Head of Operations from the ASEAN Member States, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Established in 2011, the 1st AMOIM was hosted by Indonesia which paved the way for the mutual discussion of operational issues. The primary focus was specifically on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Operations concentrating upon mechanisms to enhance military-to-military cooperation between the ASEAN Militaries. Cambodia hosted the 2nd AMOIM in 2012.
The meeting ended with a handing over of the chairmanship to Myanmar as the host of the 4th AMOIM in 2014.
