The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, hosted his Dutch counterpart, General Tom Middendorp this week.
During the visit, General Middendorp presented Air Chief Marshal Binskin with a remembrance plaque on behalf of the Netherlands Government in appreciation for the ADF’s contribution to …the alleviation of the suffering of those affected by the MH17 disaster.
Air Chief Marshal Binskin said the Australia Defence Force worked in close cooperation with the Netherlands Armed Forces after Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July 2014.
There were 298 people killed in the incident, including 38 Australian citizens and residents.
At the height of Australia’s Operation Bring Them Home, more than 280 ADF personnel were deployed to the Netherlands and Ukraine.
“Together with our Dutch colleagues, we completed the difficult task of returning victims to their families with respect and dignity.”
Australia and the Netherlands continue to contribute to Afghanistan through the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission and both countries are part of the international coalition conducting operations against Daesh (ISIL) in Iraq.
“We formed a close partnership in Afghanistan where our respective Defence Forces conducted joint mentoring and liaison operations in Uruzgan province,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.
“Despite the vast distance between the two countries, the Netherlands and Australia share similar views on defence and security matters and we continue to work together on international operations.
“We face many of the same challenges and there is much we can learn from ongoing bilateral engagement,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.