Welcome

REMARKS FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY

Mr. Takahisa Kawakami
Director, International Peace Cooperation
Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan

Mr. Kawakami gave a hearty welcome to all the participants on behalf of the Foreign Ministry, host of the seminar. He pointed out that the topic of the seminar, civil-military cooperation in peace operations is an issue, which is rising in importance in many conflict areas of the world. While this issue may have been touched on in the discussions of past seminars or workshops, this seminar is probably the first one dedicated to the issue. It is very fortunate that all key players gather in a hall: military, civil police, administrators, humanitarian organizations, aid agencies, international and Japanese NGOs. He expressed the hope that the issue will be tackled from all the angles during the seminar game sessions. At a wrap up session on the last day, some useful lessons would be drawn and suggestions for future be provided. In conclusion, he expressed his heartfelt thanks to the COE and US Pacific Command for their cooperation.

Mr. Gerard Bradford III
Director of the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance

Mr. Kawakami, valued experts and colleagues and Distinguished participants,

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Pete Bradford and I am the director of the Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance. It has been COEÕs privilege over the last three years to execute the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative peace operations capacity building program as part of a highly productive partnership Ð the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Commander United States Pacific Command and a number of the co-sponsoring Host Nations here in the Asia Pacific Region. It has been the leadership of host nations that has been key in making this a successful program. I would like to acknowledge and thank the Government of Japan and in particular the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy Bureau, International peace Cooperation Division for hosting this particular event. Kawakami-san, without your efforts and those of your staff, this program to improve humanitarian performance could not be successful. We are very grateful for your leadership and support.

I would also like to welcome you all to this seminar game on behalf of the Center of Excellence and I would like to thank your Nations and institutions for supporting you to attend this session; I hope and believe that you will find it rewarding and challenging.

Each of the nine seminars we have conducted over the last three years, has explored a range of issues in multi-dimensional, multi-national peace operations; as many of you know, these operations have continued to evolve at a remarkable pace in terms of their complexity, levels of violence and magnitude of humanitarian needs. We at COE continue to be deeply impressed and much gratified to see representatives from Nations of the Asia Pacific Region leading the way in proposing improvements to enhance performance in these operations. The publication of the Brahimi report certainly provided one catalysts for change, but even more important, has been the effective participation and experience of regional nations in the East Timor crisis and a number of other operations worldwide. Many of your nations have developed an extraordinary cache of individual command, staff and unit experience from these missions. You are now veterans who can interpret and formulate change for the future, particularly as we face new and difficult challenges within and outside the Asia Pacific region.

What have we actually learned? I would suggest that today, phased multiple missions are the norm. We must no longer hope for a discreet operation that resolves issues raised by conflict. Rather we will continue to confront a sequence of missions with different mandates and needs. In East Timor as an example, a UN observer and police mission was deployed to support a national referendum, a multi-national force operating under a chapter VII mandate re-established peace, a follow on UN led force was mandated to provide a secure climate for restoration of a government and now, an essentially political humanitarian mission is finalizing the international communitiesÕ efforts. This complexity and dynamic transition will continue to be the norm into the future; as the situation in an afflicted area changes so will the scope and nature of its operation and its participants.

It is important therefore, that we continue to evaluate how we can improve missions and better manage long-term outcomes. Peace operations were never easy and they have become even more complicated. Ever greater challenges are upon us and there are new lessons to be examined. As Peter mentioned earlier, today our television screens provide a window to the difficult lessons being learned in Iraq and we need to draw conclusions from what we see. As you consider these issues, I propose to challenge you on a specific topic.

Integrating the broad scope of humanitarian action into a comprehensive framework without compromising independence of action is one of the most important challenges in our dangerous environment. The relationship of independent humanitarian action to the successful achievement of the desired end state, to the political, military and other components of a mission provides the basis for restoring a nation to health. This is the domain of civil-military cooperation - it is here that resolution of complex emergencies succeed or fail.

As I indicated, over the last three years the Center has assisted with a wide range of seminars and games and this issue has continued to surface as a topic that needed further exploration. We have by experience learned to address issues through you as participants in a direct way to see if we can reach some consensus on approaches that will assist the region and the world in executing missions in the future.

To assist with these deliberations the Center has brought, here to Japan, a number of experts from around the world who bring valuable and diverse experience from other quarters Ð the exercise of political, military, and humanitarian leadership at the national and international level, individuals who have been responsible for implementing the humanitarian imperative in several missions and those who comprehend the nature and importance of the rule of law. With their insight and perspective, I believe they will bring your own experience into sharper focus and will enrich the discussions and our collective understanding of civil-military performance in peace operations. They are here as a resource to you Ð to facilitate and support your discussions. I sincerely hope you will challenge them with your views and questions as part of our mutual learning experience. They are your resource and collaborators Ð please make use of them.

As many of you may know, there is no correct solution to the problems we pose to you. We depend upon you to take the issues in whatever direction you believe is important. I well remember during the last seminar in Thailand, the participants stated that Command and Control, our seminar topic, was not the issue but rather it was communications and all its facets that were important. At the conclusion of the seminar they produced an outstanding analysis of this issue and everyone realized that they were correct Ð command and control is the mechanical process while communications integrates and melds the efforts of the components into a successful operation.

I often stress one point before the seminar begins. Please keep in mind the importance of the interface between the military and the civilian community in peace operations Ð it is critically important. We all understand we all must work together in principle, yet tremendous problems continue to impede effective peace and humanitarian operations around the world. I hope you will attempt to operationalize the principles of more effective civil-military cooperation. Take the opportunity to get to know each other better and work through the contentious issues.

My staff consistently shares with me how impressed they continue to be with the quality of individuals who attend these seminar games. It is your fresh and ever more experienced approach that can lead us to unique solutions. I noticed the same high quality in the names on the participant list today; therefore I know we will have an excellent exchange. I look forward to your observations and conclusions during this seminar and game.

Ladies and Gentleman, I wish you a productive and enjoyable week. Thank you.