BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Tuesday, 29 November 2016 – Brunei Darussalam and Australia today held their 15th Joint Defence Working Committee (JDWC) Meeting at the Officer’s Mess, Bolkiah Garrison.
The Meeting was co-chaired by the Acting Director of Defence Policy at the Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam, Mr Haji Adi Ihram bin Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud; and Director Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei and Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), International Policy Division, Department of Defence, Australia, Ms Anita Lewan.
The JDWC Meeting covered discussions on areas of mutual interests, focusing on the regional security challenges as well as reaffirmed the importance of the broad and long-standing bilateral defence relations between Brunei Darussalam and Australia.
Ms Lewan also paid courtesy calls to the Deputy Minister of Defence, First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Abdul Aziz bin Haji Mohd Tamit; and the Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Awang Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah.
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 courses and training, military exercises, exchange of information on matters pertaining to security, defence products, and exchange of visits between the respective defence and military officials.