Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The ten ASEAN member countries participated in a peacekeeping operations and mine action exercise which was opened at the Indonesian Peace and Security Center in Sentul, West Java, on Monday (9/16).

Vietnam news agency report, VNA, said that the exercise was held until September 20 within the framework of a working group of experts at the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus.

The event was attended by more than 500 personnel from the 10 ASEAN members and eight partner countries, namely the United States, China, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, India, Russia, Australia and Japan.

Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu in his opening remarks said he greatly valued defense cooperation among the ADMM Plus members in the past, especially in peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine actions.

He said the activities had helped increase the capacity of member states to contribute more effectively to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission and the settlement of weapons that had not exploded post-war.

The activity is also a channel for practical defense cooperation to increase solidarity and mutual understanding among the ADMM Plus members.

This exercise is a good opportunity for countries to share experiences in humanitarian activities, Ryamizard said.

He also praised the involvement of women officers in the event which he said was in line with the UN's push to increase women's participation in peacekeeping operations.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Operations Department, Colonel Nguyen Nhu Canh, said this was the first time Vietnam had participated in the exercise.

Vietnam's participation in the event underscored the country's sense of responsibility in the joint activities of ASEAN and ADMM Plus, he added.

Following the joint leadership of Indonesia and Australia from a working group of ADMM Plus experts on peacekeeping operations, Vietnam and Japan will lead together with the group for 2020-2023.

Therefore, this exercise is a good opportunity for Vietnam to gain experience in organizing multilateral peacekeeping exercises.

This joint exercise is also an opportunity to increase the capacity of relevant parties in training personnel in future UN peacekeeping operations, he added.

Reporting by Indonesia Window