Story by Norhazwani Ariffin, Dte. Intel
JAKARTA, Friday April 1 2011 - The 8th Annual Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM) was held at the Sultan Hotel in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia on 31 March 2011. The ACDFIM serves as a regional platform for Chief of Defence Forces from across Southeast Asia to discuss cooperative mechanisms for current significant matters pertaining to defence and security. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Terrorism, Maritime Security and the South China Sea were among the main issues of discussion.
Preceding the ACDFIM, the ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM) and ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM) were held on the 29th and 30th March 2011 respectively. Since 2003, AMIIM has been held back-to-back with the ACDFIM where it serves as a platform for ASEAN military intelligence chiefs to form a more efficient network for the purposes of confidence-building and information-sharing in the field of intelligence. Meanwhile, this was the first time that AMOIM was convened after it was established at the 7th ACDFIM in Hanoi in 2010 to extend the scope of multilateral cooperation to the military operations level.
The theme chosen by Indonesia for the 2011 ACDFIM ‘Synergising The Roles of ASEAN Militaries In Response To Current Regional Challenges’ encapsulates the growing regional emphasis on the spirit of multilateralism as the way forward towards the advancement of regional peace and stability. Brunei Darussalam was represented by the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Yang Mulia Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan Bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin.
In line with this theme, the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces adopted the Joint Statement where they agreed to further strengthen cooperation amongst ASEAN militaries through confidence-building measures, information sharing, intelligence cooperation and capacity-building activities such as meetings, workshops and exercises, which took shape in the Two Year Activity Work Plan (2012-2013). This will include Brunei Darussalam’s hosting of the ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM), the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) and the ASEAN Navy Interaction (ANI) in 2012 as well as the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM), ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM) as well as ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM) in 2013.
In line with this theme, the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces adopted the Joint Statement where they agreed to further strengthen cooperation amongst ASEAN militaries through confidence-building measures, information sharing, intelligence cooperation and capacity-building activities such as meetings, workshops and exercises, which took shape in the Two Year Activity Work Plan (2012-2013). This will include Brunei Darussalam’s hosting of the ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM), the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) and the ASEAN Navy Interaction (ANI) in 2012 as well as the ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM), ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM) as well as ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM) in 2013.
At the sidelines of the ACDFIM, the ASEAN Chiefs’ of Defence Forces had a joint working breakfast with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The Indonesian President called for the military leaders to work more together under the ASEAN Way through the principles of cooperation, collaboration and partnership towards the advancement of peace, stability and prosperity in the Southeast Asian region. The Commander of RBAF also held bilateral meetings with other Chiefs of Defence Forces and their representatives that include Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Philippine, Singapore and Thailand.