ADF specialists support Pacific Partnership 2023

The Australian Defence Force has commenced support to Pacific Partnership 2023, with specialist personnel deploying to five countries across the Indo-Pacific region from August to December.

Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific region, with ADF personnel joining the United States-led mission.

ADF personnel will support mission stops in Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga. Australia will provide tailored medical, dental, nursing and environmental health support, guidance on Gender, Peace and Security (GPS) considerations for operations and participate in a variety of training opportunities and information exchanges.

Approximately 30 ADF personnel will be involved in the mission, with a team of health specialists and GPS advisors arriving in Philippines this week, joining Royal Australian Navy musicians on board United States Ship Pearl Harbor.

Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Air Vice-Marshal Michael Kitcher, AM, DSM, said Pacific Partnership 2023 was an enduring commitment to the region and significant opportunity to strengthen partnerships and support Pacific communities

“ADF participation in Pacific Partnership 2023 demonstrates our enduring commitment to enhancing resilience and preparedness to respond to natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific region,” Air Vice-Marshal Kitcher said.

“It is an opportunity for our personnel to work alongside partners and friends, to share knowledge, enhance interoperability and deepen our people-to-people links.

“Strong relationships are the foundation for responding to shared security challenges and Pacific Partnership enables us to cooperate with partners, build on our shared capacity and bring nations together to support a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.”

Now in its 18th year, Pacific Partnership strengthens alliances and promotes multilateral disaster management resilience in the Indo-Pacific region.

Media note

Media can access imagery of Pacific Partnership 2023 at https://images.defence.gov.au/S20232400