Staff feature at landmark defence conference

September 10, 2013

Staff feature at landmark defence conference

Centre for Defence and Security Studies staff have a commanding presence at a regionally significant defence conference in Auckland this week, involving military personnel from more than 30 countries.

The Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference, which continues till tomorrow, is a biennial multinational military conference that provides a forum for regional Chiefs of Army to exchange views, establish and enhance interpersonal relationships and foster security cooperation. The New Zealand Chief of Army and Chief of Staff, United States Army, serve as the co-hosts for PACC.

The theme for the conference, and the Pacific Armies Management Seminar being held till Friday, is ‘21st Century peace operations in a United Nations context.’

Senior lecturer in security studies Dr Anna Powles says it is noteworthy that New Zealand was co-hosting this year’s event.

“The fact New Zealand is co-hosting is a significant part of the US re-balancing toward the Asia-Pacific region.”

Dr Powles will be editing the book publication based on the conference themes and papers.

Other staff featuring at the conference and seminar include new centre director Professor Caroline Ziemke, and lecturer Nick Nelson, who with Dr Diane Gardner from the School of Psychology on the Albany campus, will be speaking on the topic “Duty of care – our most precious contribution to UN peace operations – our soldiers.” Professor Graeme Fraser, a research mentor at the centre, is appearing as a moderator for one of the speaking sessions.

Massey teaching fellow and soldier Major Josh Wineera says the Centre for Defence and Security Studies has been working with the New Zealand Army for around 12 months, helping with the design and development of conference topics.

“The testimony of the input of the Centre and Massey has been an invitation to deliver some of the key presentations, moderator roles as well as being the conduit to call on other academic colleagues from different universities to contribute to the conference.”

ENDS

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