Delegates at the 10th ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM-10) signed a joint statement in Brunei on March 20 highlighting the role of ASEAN member nations’ armed forces in coping with regional security challenges.

The statement reviewed the outcomes of cooperation at the ACDFIM over the past years, outlined measures to enhance future cooperation among regional armed forces, and highly valued Brunei and Singaporean armed forces’ initiatives on holding humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises in June 2013.

It also highlighted future activities between the bloc and other countries within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus, and established a report mechanism within the framework of the ACDFIM.

Participants discussed the outcomes of the 10th ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting and the 3rd ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting. They expressed wishes to bolster regional armed forces’ strong and friendly cooperation in different areas towards building the ASEAN Community by 2015.

The meeting also adopted the 2013–2015 working plan.

On the occasion, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces transferred the chairmanship of the mechanism to the ACDFIM-11 in Myanmar.

This year, the Vietnamese delegation attending the meeting was led by Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff Sen. Lieut. Gen. Do Ba Ty.-VNA