VANCOUVER – Canada and Australia’s defence ministers say their countries are dealing with similar challenges in an era of global volatility not seen since the Second World War, and strengthening co-operation is essential to avoiding conflict.
Defence Minster Bill Blair and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles announced an agreement to bolster their countries’ relationships, along with their collective ability to respond to everything from global challenges to malicious cyber threats.
Marles, who’s also Australia’s deputy prime minister, is in Vancouver for a bilateral meeting with Blair, and the ministers committed their armed forces to work together as hostile actions from China in the South China Sea and Russia in eastern Europe continue to test the global order.
In a joint statement, the countries reiterated their support for an independent Ukraine and reaffirmed a call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Blair says the closely allied nations are “preparing to avoid war,” showing unity in the face of adversaries such as China and Russia, whose actions go against “global interests of maintaining a peaceful environment.”
Marles says Canada and Australia’s co-operation is seeking to deter hostile actors, and avoiding conflict is “front and centre” as both nations seek to understand and respond to threats in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2024.
