This week, I (Minister for Defence: Senator Marise Payne) will represent Australia at the Counter-Daesh Defence Ministers’ meeting in Washington on 20 July.
The discussion will focus on accelerating efforts to defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria and to stop the expansion of Daesh’s global networks.
This is an important opportunity to review the progress that has been made in the military campaign against Daesh and to plan for the next phase of the campaign.
Australia was one of the first to make a substantial military contribution to the US-led coalition, and we remain one of the largest overall contributors to the military campaign.
In addition to the Counter-Daesh Defence Ministers Meeting, I will also attend the joint meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers on July 21 as well as meet separately with counterparts from a range of coalition partner countries.
Australia is committed to playing a significant role in making the world a safer place, reflecting our values and our role as a responsible, active, global citizen.