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| ADMM-Plus (File Photo) |
TOKYO JAPAN, Friday 4 July 2014 – The 4th ADMM-Plus EWG on HADR meeting was held today at the TKP Garden City Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Hiroshi Waguri, Director of Capacity Building Office, International Policy Division, Ministry of Defense Japan and Lieutenant Colonel Phayvanh Chanthaphomma, Director of ASEAN Division, Ministry of National Defense Laos.
Brunei Darussalam’s delegation was headed by Staff Officer 1, Joint Plan (J5), Joint Force Headquarter, Royal Brunei Armed Forces, accompanied by officers from the Directorate of Defence Policy, Ministry of Defence.
The meeting focused on the EWG on HADR Work Plan for the new cycle from 2014 to 2017, building upon the great progress of this EWG during the previous co-chairmanship under the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the People’s Republic of China. Several proposals on the activities of the EWG were also discussed during this meeting, aimed at strengthening the capabilities and promoting concrete practical cooperation between all ADMM-Plus Member States in times of natural calamities and emergencies.
The EWG also held a seminar on military response and lessons learned during Typhoon Haiyan on 3 July 2014, participated by all ADMM-Plus Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
The ADMM-Plus EWG on HADR is one of the six EWGs established under the ADMM-Plus framework that focuses on practical military and defence cooperation. The other ADMM-Plus EWGs that have been established under the ADMM-Plus mechanism are the EWG on Maritime Security, EWG on Counter Terrorism, EWG on Peacekeeping Operations, EWG on Military Medicine and EWG on Humanitarian Mine Action.
The next EWG on HADR meeting is scheduled to take place in Lao People’s Democratic Republic in November 2014.