AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, Thursday 26 June 2014 – The Eight Meeting of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group (EWG) on Maritime Security was held at The Pullman Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand. This Meeting is the first meeting of the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security in its second cycle of 2014 – 2017 under the co-chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand.It was co-chaired by Mr Daniel Mellsop, Head, International Branch, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand, and Colonel (L) Pg Norazmi bin Pg Haji Muhammad, Deputy Commander of Royal Brunei Navy.
The Meeting reviewed the excellent work and progress of the ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security achieved over the previous three years under the co-chairmanship of Malaysia and Australia, and discussed the activities and initiatives as outlined in the Work Plan 2014 – 2017, as well as identified potential areas for practical cooperation in maritime security.
The Meeting supported the concepts of the Combined Field Training Exercise (FTX) between ADMM-Plus Maritime Security (co-chaired by Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand) and ADMM-Plus Counter Terrorism (co-chaired by Singapore and Australia) to be held in April 2016 in Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. The Exercise scenario will incorporate the maritime security and counter terrorism elements.
As a run-up to the Combined FTX, Malaysia will host an FTX of the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security on Counter-Piracy. This Exercise will be held back-to-back with the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2015 in March 2015.
Brunei Darussalam also briefed the Meeting on the concepts of the Table-Top Exercise on Anti-Piracy to be held back-to-back with the Ninth Meeting of the ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security in October 2014 in Brunei Darussalam.
In ensuring its agenda complements the other existing groupings, the Meeting received reports on the outcomes of the recent Western Pacific Naval Symposium by China; Indian Ocean Naval Symposium by Australia; and ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Maritime Security by Indonesia.
The ADMM-Plus EWG on Maritime Security is aimed at developing more effecive and military response to maritime strategic challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, with the objectives to enhance maritime cooperation, identify risks in the maritime domain, especially non-traditional threats, and widen information sharing.
