News Contents
03/09/2010
Roundtable with Dr David Kilcullen 27 August 2010
The Centre hosted a roundtable with Dr David Kilcullen, an Australian expert on counter –insurgency, sponsored by Noetic Group. David spoke in depth about the situation in Afghanistan and the challenges for coalition forces operating in the country.
L-R: Executive Director Michael G Smith AO and Noetic Group Associate Dr David Kilcullen.
UN Delegation visit to the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre for Excellence 26 August 2010
The Centre hosted a visit by four Permanent Representatives from the United Nations in New York. The delegation received a briefing on the Centre’s activities and discussed the role Australia can play internationally in Peace Keeping and disaster management operations around the world.
L-R: Mr Doctor Mashabane, Deputy Permanent Representative (acting Ambassador) of South Africa to the United Nations; HE Mr Shekou Momodou Touray, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations; Mr Michael G Smith AO, Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence; HE Ms Marjon V Kamara, Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations; and HE Mr Raymond Osbourne Wolfe, Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations.
ASPI Global Forces Conference 18-19 August 2010
The Centre’s Executive Director Michael G Smith AO delivered a presentation at the ASPI Global Forces 2010 Conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra, 18-19 August 2010. Mike spoke on the topic of “Nation-Building Interventions: What future do they have for Australia and New Zealand”. This presentation will be published by ASPI as part of the conference proceedings.
L-R: Dr Rizal Sukma, Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia; Executive Director Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence, Michael G. Smith AO; and the Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Abel Guterres.
ICRC team visits Centre on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions
Delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross shared their perspectives on civil-military issues during a visit to the Centre on 12 August. Jean-Luc Metzker, Head of the ICRC Regional Delegation for the Pacific, Nick Nobbs from ICRC in Kuala Lumpur and Jeremy England from the ICRC Sydney office met with the Centre's team to share perspectives on civil-military collaboration. The teams exchanged updates on relevant training programs and research activities, and committed to continue a close dialogue on civil-military issues.
The visit came on the day the Red Cross Movement, governments, organisations and individuals across the world recognised the 60th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions.
The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols provide a foundation for international humanitarian law, and form the framework for the protection of civilians and the sick, and wounded or captured combatants, during times of war.
The Australian Parliament marked the 60th anniversary by unanimously reaffirming Australia's commitment to the Geneva Conventions.
Read more about the ICRC and the Geneva Conventions.
Executive Director meets with regional counterparts to advance best practice in civil-military collaboration
Executive Director of the Centre, Michael G. Smith, recently travelled to Seoul to engage with regional counterparts on the issue of civil-military collaboration for disaster management, and peace and stabilisation operations.
The Executive Director participated in the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response Multilateral Conference, hosted by US Forces Korea, from 7-10 July. Australia exchanged lessons and experience on the use of military capabilities for disaster management overseas with US, Korean, Japanese, UN and ICRC representatives.
While in Seoul, the Executive Director also met with the President of the Korean National Defense University, the Director of the Research Institute on National Security Affairs, and the Commandant of the Peacekeeping Operations Center. These meetings provided an opportunity to scope future cooperation between Australia and the Republic of Korea on civil-military research and training programs, as part of the Australia-Korea Global and Security Cooperation Action Plan.
Timor-Leste Parliamentary Commission visits Centre
On 13 August 2009, the President and members of Commission B (Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs) of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste visited the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence. The Parliamentary delegation received a briefing on the Centre’s activities and encouraged the Centre to explore collaboration possibilities with East Timor. Pictured from left to right: Mr Bruno de Lencastre, UNDP Parliamentary Legal Adviser; Mr Michael Smith AO, the Centre’s Executive Director; The Hon. Duarte Nunes, President of Commission B; and HE Dr Hernani Coelho, Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia.
Visit of Students from Japanese National Institute for Defence
Students of the 56th Class of the National Institute for Defence Studies (NIDS) visited the Centre on 10 June 2009. NIDS, the main policy research arm of the Japanese Ministry of Defence (MOD), is dedicated to strategic studies of policy relevance. It also functions as a war college-level educational institution for senior uniformed officers of Japan’s Self Defence Forces (SDF) and civilian officials of the MOD and other branches of the government. The students were led by NIDS Executive Director for Research and International Affairs, Professor Hideshi Takesada, and included several international uniformed officers. Captain Kazushige Nagai, Japan’s Defence Attaché in Australia, accompanied the class on the visit. The delegation was briefed on the Centre’s role and objectives with particular note on the strategic civil military issues. An excellent exchange of ideas took place on responding to disasters and conflicts in the Asia Pacific region and some consideration given to possible future research collaboration.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, James Batley, visits the Centre
Mr Batley’s diplomatic appointments in the region have included Vanuatu, PNG, Jakarta, East Timor and Solomon Islands. From August 2004 to November 2006, he was Special Coordinator for the Regional Assistance Mission in Solomon Islands.
Mr Batley has extensive experience in civil-military issues at a strategic and operational level.
Visit by the HE Mr C Wilhelm Andreae, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Australia
On 8 May 2009 Ambassador Andreae and Lt Col C P LeFevre, Defence Attache of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Australia visited the Centre. The Executive Director provided an outline of the Centre’s role and responsibilities, staffing structure and key deliverables. Ambassador Andreae noted the shared objectives of the Netherlands and Australia.
The visit provided an opportunity to explore future knowledge exchange and training collaboration between the Centre and relevant Kingdom of Netherlands institutions with a focus on conflict and disaster management.
Visit by the Hon Heather Roy Associate Minister of Defence New Zealand
On 5 May the Centre hosted a visit by the Hon Heather Roy, Associate Minister of Defence of New Zealand. The Minister was accompanied by her Senior Adviser Mr Simon Ewing-Jarvie, the Defence Adviser to Australia Air Commodore Peter Port, and Lieutenant Colonel Phil Morrison the Military Adviser to Australia.
The Executive Director provided a comprehensive briefing on the civil military initiatives at the centre and invited participation from New Zealand at all levels and across all of the Focus Areas. Previously MAJGEN Rhys Jones COMJFNZ visited the Centre 8 December 2008 for an open discussion on the role of the centre and its relationship to New Zealand and the region.
The Executive Director welcomes continued ANZAC engagement as a core element of the initial development of the Centre.
Visit by National Defence Course Pakistan
A delegation from the National Defence Course at the National Defence University in Pakistan visited on 28 April 2009. The delegation included members from the Pakistan Armed Forces and the Civil Services, as well as some members from other foreign countries, and was led by Rear Admiral Tayyab Ali Dogar. Brigadier Babar Mansoor Virk, the Pakistan Defence Attaché to Australia, hosted the delegation on the visit.
The delegation was briefed on the Centre’s objectives with particular note on the strategic civil military issues. An excellent exchange of ideas took place and in particular there was some detailed consideration of the Challenges Forum. See http://www.challengesforum.org/. Pakistan is hosting Challenges 2009 in Islamabad this July, and Australia will host Challenges 2010 here in Queanbeyan in April 2010.
The Centre’s Strategic Plan, 2009-2011
The Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence has released its Strategic Plan for 2009-2011.
The Plan provides the rationale and parameters for the Centre’s work, and will be reviewed annually.
Cooperation between Australia and the Republic of Korea
During the recent visit to Australia for Defence policy talks, officials from the Republic of Korea's Ministry of National Defense received a briefing on the Centre's role and work program and exchanged views on priority civil-military issues. The delegation, led by the Director General of the International Policy Bureau, Mr Baek-Sang CHO, visited the Centre on 14 April.
The visit provided an opportunity to explore future knowledge exchange and training collaboration between the Centre and relevant Republic of Korea institutions with a focus on conflict and disaster management. The dialogue supports the March 2009 Joint Statement on Enhanced Global and Security Cooperation between Australia and the Republic of Korea and associated Action Plan (see http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2009/media_release_0855.cfm)
NGO Engagement
The Honourable Margaret Reid AO, President of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) was welcomed to the Centre on 9 April.
ACFID is an independent national association of Australian non-government organisations (NGOs) working in the field of international aid and development (http://www.acfid.asn.au/) and is an important partner for the Centre.
The Centre is working closely with ACFID and its member NGOs to ensure that their knowledge and experience in conflict and disaster management informs future civil-military collaboration guidance and training.
Ms Reid and the Centre's Executive Director, Mike Smith, discussed ideas to further develop the relationship between ACFID and the Centre.
Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance visits Centre
The Centre hosted a visit by the Hon Mr Bob McMullan MP, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance and the Hon Mike Kelly AM MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, on 27 March 2009.
The Centre's work directly supports Australia's international development assistance program in the area of conflict and disaster management, and is closely linked with AusAID through staff secondments and Centre activities.
The visit by Mr McMullan was an important opportunity to discuss strategic civil-military issues for the Australian Government, NGO community, and regional and international partners.
United Arab Emirates Visits the Centre
On 25 March 2009, the Centre welcomed a delegation from United Arab Emirates, led by Staff Brigadier Mohammed Ali Mohammed Al Jaberi. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the Australian government's commitment to advancing effective civil-military collaboration and in particular, the work of the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence.
The delegation discussed UAE's committment to UN peacekeeping missions, and their interest in future training and educational activities organised by the Centre.
Australian Federal Police Brief Centre Staff
The Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence hosted a visit on 24 March 2009 by AFP Commander Justine Saunders. Commander Saunders until recently was the Australian Police advisor to the United Nations in New York.
Commander Saunders briefed the Centre staff on trends and issues associated with Police engagement in UN Missions.
Conceptual Framework Progress
An Inter agency working group meeting was held at the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence on 23 March 2009 to progress the formulation of a Conceptual Framework for Australia's civil-military collaboration in conflict and disaster management overseas. The working group comprises representatives from a number of Australian Government agencies. Development of the framework is one of the Centre's key responsibilities for 2009.
Crown Prince of Tonga visits Centre
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Tupouto'a-Lavaka of Tonga was a guest at the opening of the Centre on 27 November 2008 and, on 16 February 2009, paid a special visit to the Centre's Lowe Street premises together with Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho, to engage first hand with the Centre's staff in civil-military dialogue and training opportunities in the Pacific Region. His Royal Highness is currently Tonga's High Commissioner to Australia.
Assistant for Operations in Indonesian TNI visits Centre
On 10 February 2009, the Centre's Executive Director, Michael G. Smith, welcomed MAJGEN Supiadin, Assistant for Operations in the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and his delegation to the Centre during their official visit to Australia.
The Indonesian delegation and the Centre's team discussed current and emerging international security issues and opportunities for Australia and Indonesia to work together in the area of peacekeeping training and education, through the bilateral defence relationship.
Swedish Folke Bernadotte Academy visits Centre
A delegation from the Swedish Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies led by the Director, Mr Lars Nicander, and the Director General of the Folke Bernadotte Academy, Mr Henrik Landerholm, visited the Centre on 9 February 2009.
Discussions explored areas of mutual interest and important future partnership opportunities between the Centre and the Folke Bernadotte Academy.
The Academy provides the core Secretariat functions for the Challenges of Peace Operations Forum which Australia will host in 2010.
Centre welcomes the PNG Minister for Defence
The Centre welcomed the Papua New Guinea Minister for Defence, Hon Bob Dadae MP on 2 February 2009, the first day of his official visit to Australia as Defence Minister. The Minister was accompanied by a delegation including the PNG Secretary of Defence, Mr Frederick Punangi and Chief of Staff for the PNG Defence Force, CAPT Ur Tom.
The visit was an opportunity for the Minister and his delegation to be briefed on the Centre, and to share their views on civil-military cooperation in the region.
TNI Surgeon-General visits the Centre
MAJGEN Heridadi, Surgeon-General of the Indonesian National Defence Force (TNI), visited the Centre on 2 February.
MAJGEN Heridadi , accompanied by COL Petrus Boli, LTCOL Heri Priatna, and officials of the Indonesian Embassy and the Australian Defence Force, is in Australia to discuss health cooperation between the ADF and TNI.
TNI's health services are a vital part of Indonesia's disaster relief operations. During the visit, MAJGEN Heridadi was briefed on the establishment of the Centre and its forward work program. AusAID officials also provided an update on the new Australia-Indonesia Disaster Reduction Facility in Jakarta.
Collaboration begins on Civil-Military Conceptual Framework
The Centre hosted a round-table meeting on 21 January 2009 with officials from a range of Australian Government agencies to discuss the development of a conceptual framework for civil-military collaboration. This followed an earlier presentation by Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support. The meeting was the first in a series of inter-agency sessions to be hosted by the Centre as it assists relevant departments and agencies by contributing to the development of a conceptual framework for civil-military collaboration in conflict and disaster management overseas. This will be a high priority for the Centre in its work to develop best practice in Australia's civil-military engagements.
Swedish Ambassador Visits Centre
Executive Director Mike Smith hosted a visit to the Centre by His Excellency Sven-Olof Petersson, Sweden's Ambassador to Australia, on 20 January 2009. Mr Smith and Mr Petersson discussed the establishment of the Centre and its planned activities. They identified shared areas of interest to Australia and Sweden in the area of civil-military collaboration. The Ambassador will visit the Centre again on 9 February with a delegation from the Center for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defence College.
NZ Police Liaison visits Centre
Superintendent Dave Trappitt, New Zealand Police Liaison, Canberra, visited the Centre on 6 January 2009. Superintendent Trappitt met with Executive Director Mike Smith, Chief of Staff Alison Chartres, Superintendent Nigel Phair and Executive Officers Moreen Dee and Randy Knispel to explain New Zealand's international police engagement activities in the Asia-Pacific, and to explore potential collaborative initiatives on civil-military research and the sharing of lessons learned.
Superintendents Nigel Phair, AFP, and Dave Trappitt, NZP are pictured with Chief of Staff Alison Chartres and Executive Director Mike Smith.
Holiday Greetings
We wish you a happy holiday season and a new year full of peace and prosperity!
From the Executive Director and the Team at the Centre
Executive Director works with UN Mission to Nepal
As part of its work in conflict prevention, the Centre's Executive Director, Michael Smith, led a United Nations needs assessment mission to Nepal in December 2008. Reporting to Ian Martin, the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), the four-person assessment team had extensive consultations on the next phase of the peace process and provided advice to the SRSG. The team comprised representatives from the UN Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations with expertise in post-conflict reconstruction and army integration. The team focused on Nepal's commitment to integrate and rehabilitate the Maoist army as part of the nation's Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Meetings were held with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ("Prachanda"), Deputy Prime Minister Bandev Gautam, other Ministers and members of the Army Integration Special Committee. The team had extensive discussions with the Nepal Army and the Maoist army and visited one of the Maoist army cantonment sites. The visit highlighted the continuing need for UN peacemaking initiatives, the ongoing commitment of the Nepalese to move to the next stage of their own peace process, and the downstream requirements for professional military education and training of armed forces.
MAJGEN Jones Visits Centre
MAJGEN Rhys Jones COMJFNZ visited the Centre 8 December 2008 for an open discussion on the role of the centre and its relationship to New Zealand and the region. The visit was productive with ideas for future development being discussed. The party included:
Centre Hosts Japan and US Visitors
Representatives of Japan and the US visited the Centre 3 December in the wake of recent Trilateral Strategic Dialogue humanitarian assistance and disaster relief discussions by Japan, the US and Australia.
Principal US representatives were Tom Dolan, The Center of Excellence DMHA (Hawaii), and Scott Weidle, US Pacific Command.
Japan was represented by First Secretary Nobuharu Imanishi (The Embassy of Japan).
Discussions focused on the future of the Centre and its relationship with Japan, the US and the rest of the Pacific.
PM Opens Centre
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally opened the Centre on 27 November 2008.
The ceremony was opened by Executive Director, Mike Smith (text of remarks), who introduced Mike Kelly AM MP. In turn Mike Kelly introduced Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to formally open the Centre. Prime Minister Rudd spoke about the need for the Centre (text of address).
Goodman visits Centre
LTGEN John F Goodman (Retd) visited the Centre on the first day of operation in the new facilities in Queanbeyan. Lt Gen Goodman has recently been appointed Director of the Hawaii-based Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (COE DMHA).
While visiting Australia to participate in APC MADRO 2008 (see related article), LtGen Goodman offered to run a short workshop at APCM COE to brief Australian government agencies and associated organisations on the role of COE, and implications for collaboration with Australia.
The Agency delegates were all impressed by Goodman's breadth of knowledge and focus of US activities in the Pacific.
Further information is available from APCM COE,info@civmilcoe.gov.au
APC MADRO 2008
The 3rd Asia-Pacific Conference on Military Assistance to Disaster Relief Operations (APC MADRO) was held in Canberra 4 -6 November. The Conference was co-chaired by OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and APCM COE. Co-chairs, Gerhard Putnam-Cramer (OCHA) and Michael Smith (APCM COE) moderated sessions for approximately 70 delegates from 16 countries including UN agencies, to advance the Guidelines for "Facilitation of Foreign Military Assistance to Disaster Relief Operations in the Asia-Pacific Region". Speakers of note included: Further information is available from APCM COE, info@civmilcoe.gov.au
ASPI Looks at Lessons Learned
The Centre has contracted the Australian Strategic Policy Institute to research and produce a report on key civil-military lessons learned from 'whole of government' planning and responses to selected disasters and conflicts.
