Australia reaffirmed its commitment to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with the launch of Exercise Pacific Protector 2024. The event, which began on 24 September 2024, is part of Australia’s ongoing efforts to counter the illicit trade of WMDs in the Indo-Pacific region.
Strengthening Security in the Indo-Pacific
In the Asia-Pacific Exercise Rotation this year, Australia, a founding member of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), took the lead. The PSI is a global effort aimed at preventing the illegal trade of WMD-related materials. This initiative involves working with various countries to strengthen their ability to detect, stop, and prevent such dangerous activities.
The four-day event is being held in Sydney and runs from 24 to 27 September 2024. During this period, participants engage in academic sessions, a table-top exercise, and boarding exercises, along with demonstrations and training activities. These activities help countries in the region develop stronger tools, networks, and capabilities to block illegal WMD-related trade.
Building Capacity and Collaboration
Dr. Sheridan Kearnan, Defence’s First Assistant Secretary for Strategic Policy, emphasised the importance of these exercises. According to her, Pacific Protector 2024 gives Australia and its PSI partners an opportunity to build essential networks and strengthen their capacities.
“The exercise provides an opportunity to practice scenarios and improve mechanisms for sharing intelligence, aligning decision-making processes and deploying capabilities and assets for interdiction operations,” Dr. Kearnan said.
The focus of the exercise is on sharing information and coordinating responses across borders. Countries involved in this effort are improving their ability to react to threats quickly and efficiently.
A Unified Stand Against Proliferation
Pacific Protector 2024 sends a strong message to those attempting to engage in the illicit trade of WMD materials. By enhancing cooperation between PSI partners, Australia and other participating countries aim to show that they are ready to take swift and collaborative action against illegal activities.
It makes it very evident to proliferators that their actions are being watched. And that PSI partners are ready to act alone or in concert to halt the spread of illicit WMD. Dr. Kearnan continued.
Diverse Participation Across the Globe
The 2024 exercise brought together 28 countries, demonstrating the widespread global interest in preventing WMD proliferation. The participants include nations from various continents. The broad international presence highlights the importance of collaboration in tackling this global threat.
Australian Agencies Take Active Role
In addition to the international participants, several Australian government agencies are also taking part in Pacific Protector 2024. These include the:
– Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
– Australian Border Force (ABF)
– NSW Police
– Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
– Australian Federal Police (AFP)
Their involvement ensures that Australia is actively contributing to the efforts while also improving its own capacity to deal with WMD threats.
Welcoming Chile to the PSI Steering Group
On Monday, 23 September 2024, Australia hosted an important meeting for the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). This meeting is called the Operational Experts Group. It helps guide the PSI’s plans to stop the spread of dangerous weapons.
At this meeting, Chile joined as the newest member. This means more countries are working together to prevent the illegal trade of weapons of mass destruction. The group’s role is to decide on future actions and make sure everyone is ready to stop these threats.
A Continuous Effort Against WMD Proliferation
Exercise Pacific Protector 2024 is just one part of the ongoing international effort to stop the spread of WMDs. Australia, alongside its PSI partners, remains dedicated to this mission. Through training, collaboration, and sharing of intelligence, these countries are building stronger defences against one of the greatest global threats.
With its leadership role in this initiative, Australia demonstrates its commitment to regional and global security, reinforcing the importance of united action in preventing dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands.