Chief of Defence Force to attend Defence Chiefs Conference in Canada

The Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General (LTGEN) Tim Keating, will attend the Indo-Asia Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference 2017 in Victoria, Canada on 4–7 September, 2017.

Lieutenant General Keating said the conference would provide a forum for maintaining relationships with defence counterparts and understanding their points of view on issues of mutual interest in the Asia-Pacific region.

“This will provide an opportunity to share views, particularly on matters of close interest to New Zealand, such as maritime security, illegal fishing, human trafficking, illicit commodities trafficking, cybercrime, increased usage of submarines, increased vessel congestion, resource scarcity, and environmental impacts of climate change,” LTGEN Keating said.

“Other regional concerns will also be dealt with in the formal sessions and multi-lateral meetings,” he said.

New Zealand supported efforts to counter and prevent violent extremism in South-East Asia, as well as the global coalition against ISIS, he said.

“The New Zealand Defence Force has participated in a range of operations around the globe, and this reflects our commitment to the peaceful resolution of concerns in the Pacific region and elsewhere.”