30 March 2012

AUS: Australia and US host major international military conference


Australia and the United States have hosted a major military planning conference in Sydney involving approximately 100 delegates from 35 countries.

The Multilateral Planners Conference VII was an opportunity for countries to discuss issues of mutual strategic interest, such as evolving global and regional challenges and threats.

A Multilateral Planners Conference is conducted every two to three years. It was first held in Washington in 2004 and this year it was co-hosted by the United States and Australia. This was the first time the conference has been held in Australia. It was conducted on 28 and 29 March.

The Multilateral Planners Conferences are a forum for senior military planners to discuss various issues across the entire operational spectrum, ranging from combat operations to humanitarian activities.

The theme for this conference was “Global Security Challenges: Responding in an Age of Fragility.” Sessions focused on violent extremism, resource scarcity, multilateral institutions and new global common domains, such as cyber space and outer space.

“This conference was an important opportunity for delegates to examine issues of mutual interest and to learn from the experience of others. Tapping into these various perspectives is crucial as each country shapes its responses to these issues,” the senior Australian Defence representative, Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Kevin Paule said.

“Many of these challenges can appear overwhelming but by working together and sharing knowledge and experience, paths of progress can be identified,” AVM Paule said.

“This conference was a great opportunity to meet with many of our partners and colleagues from around the world and have in-depth, frank discussions on the mutual challenges that we are facing,” the senior US representative, Lieutenant General Terry Wolff said.