JOINT RELEASE - Sub-Regional Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Counter-Terrorism - The Perth Meeting, 1-2 February 2018

We, Australian Minister of Defence Marise Payne, Brunei Darussalam Second Minister of Defence Pehin Dato Haji Halbi bin Mohd Yussof, Indonesian Minister for Defence Ryamizard Ryacudu, Malaysian Deputy Minister of Defence HE Dato’ Sri Mohd Johari bin Baharum, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana, Singapore Senior Minister of State for Defence Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman and Thailand Deputy Minister of Defence General Chaichan Changmongkol gathered for the inaugural Sub-Regional Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Counter-Terrorism in Perth, Australia on 2 February 2018. 

We reaffirmed our commitment to work together in the fight against terrorism. We discussed the threat that Daesh, other terrorist groups, and the return of foreign terrorist fighters from overseas conflicts pose to regional security. 

We discussed the important contribution defence organisations make to our countries’ wholeof-Government counter-terrorism efforts.

We also discussed our countries’ experiences of recent counter-terrorism operations, the evolving regional security environment, maritime counter-terrorism efforts and the practical considerations associated with defence counter-terrorism assistance domestically and in the region.

Reflective of our close security partnerships, we committed to strengthening defence cooperation through bilateral partnerships and multilateral fora, namely the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, as well as other regional platforms to counter and respond to the challenges posed by Daesh, other terrorist groups, and the return of foreign terrorist fighters from overseas conflicts.  This will include sharing the lessons our Defence forces learn from our ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.

We agreed to improve defence information and intelligence sharing and cooperation to combat terrorism and prevent the spread of the violent and corrupt ideologies of Daesh and other terrorist groups.

Building on existing cooperative mechanisms in the maritime domain, we agreed to explore the complex issues around maritime counter-terrorism.

We agreed that so long as terrorism remains a critical global threat, fora such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)/ADMM-Plus and the Sub-Regional Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Counter-Terrorism  will continue to be important in bringing together regional militaries to understand how we can best work together to respond. 

Indonesia will host the next Sub-Regional Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Counter-Terrorism in 2019.