29 July 2015

Brunei: 14TH Brunei Darussalam – Australia joint defence working committee

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Tuesday 28 July 2015 – Brunei Darussalam and Australia held their 14th Joint Defence Working Committee (JDWC) Meeting at the National Modelling and Simulation Centre located at the Knowledge Hub at Anggerek Desa.

The Meeting was co-chaired by Haji Adi Ihram bin Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud, Acting Director of Defence Policy at the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam and Daniel Smith, Director Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei and FPDA, International Policy Division, Department of Defence, Australia.

The JDWC Meeting covered discussions centred on areas of mutual interests: joint discussion on the regional security challenges as well as reaffirmed the broad and long-standing bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and Australia.

During the meeting, the co-chairs discussed a wide range of regional and security issues. Both sides deliberated on plans to enhance defence cooperation, particularly in all the three services. The co-chairs noted the importance of the bilateral exercises between the two countries which have provided opportunities to deepen professional knowledge and to strengthen interoperability.

As part of the visit programme, the Australian delegation had the opportunity to visit the Fighting In Built Up Areas (FIBUA) Complex in Penanjong Garrison and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Defence Academy in Sungai Akar. The delegation also paid courtesy calls to the Deputy Minister of Defence, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat; and the Permanent Secretary, Datin Paduka Hajah Suriyah binti Haji Umar.

The JDWC between Brunei Darussalam and Australia was established through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation between the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Government of Australia signed on 10 May 1999. The MoU serves as a framework for fostering closer defence relations and cooperation between the defence establishments and armed forces of both countries, such as military training, military exercises, exchange of information on matters pertaining to security, training and defence products, and exchange of visits between the respective defence and military officials.