Indonesia: experts discuss peacekeeping issues in Bogor

Indonesia: experts and practitioners discuss peacekeeping-related issues in Bogor

Jakarta, 5 November 2012 – Forty-four military, police and defence ministry officials from 16 countries who have responsibility for or involvement in peacekeeping issues have gathered in Bogor, Indonesia, to discuss various themes related to peacekeeping. Co-organized by the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the workshop will take place from 6 to 8 November.

"In many parts of the world where peacekeepers are deployed, the ICRC also carries out humanitarian work as mandated by the international community. The fact that we now have dialogue not only with peacekeepers in the field but also, in this forum, with decision-makers on peacekeeping activities represents progress," said Frederic Fournier, the head of the ICRC's regional delegation for Indonesia in Jakarta. "Meanwhile, the ICRC continues to cooperate with peacekeeping centres in five ASEAN member States, helping promote international humanitarian law and the role of peacekeepers in implementing it."

"The workshop will help the ADMM Plus experts' working group to identify, develop and strengthen the ability of ADMM Plus countries to conduct peacekeeping operations and pre-deployment preparations," said Paul Sinclair, who heads international defence relations at New Zealand's defence ministry. Raymund Quilop, assistant secretary for strategic assessment at the Philippines Department of National Defence added that the workshop, by highlighting the issues of civil-military interaction and of the protection of civilians, will further enhance the ability of ADMM Plus countries to make effective contributions to peacekeeping operations.

Presentations will be made by leading experts from ADMM Plus countries and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, former force commanders of UN peacekeeping missions, and representatives of ICRC delegations in the Asia-Pacific region. Participants in the workshop come from 16 different countries: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States and Viet Nam.

The ICRC frequently provides pre-deployment briefings for troop-contributing nations explaining the humanitarian and security situation as well as the ICRC's role and presence in countries where a peacekeeping contingent is about to deploy.

For further information, please visit our website: www.icrc.org

ENDS

© Scoop Media