KUANTAN: The largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific, was successfully conducted in Malaysia.
The ‘Pacific Partnership 2023’ from Sept 6 around Kuantan, Pahang returned here since the 2019 edition conducted at Kuching, Sarawak
The exercise enabled participants to work together to enhance disaster response capabilities and foster new and enduring friendships in Malaysia.
A spokesman for the exercise said that the Pacific Partnership’s mission was to conduct tailored humanitarian and civic preparedness activities in areas such as engineering, disaster response, public health, and the Philippine’s outreach events.
“This year’s mission, featuring nearly ,1500 personnel, was a joint effort on behalf of Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“The Pacific Partnership‘s mission exemplifies the true spirit of the word partnership.
“As we started our mission here in Malaysia, we were excited at the prospect of the great things our multi-national teams can achieve while working side-by-side with our Malaysian counterparts,” said the UK’s Royal Navy Captain Joseph Dransfield as the deputy mission commander.
While in Kuantan, the ‘Pacific Partnership 2023’ provided tailored medical care focusing on subject-matter exchanges and community education; constructing and reconstruction of multiple schoolhouses and knowledge exchanges with exercises covering disaster response and humanitarian assistance.
Additionally, the US Pacific Fleet Band performed in a variety of community engagements.
“Pacific Partnership expands the collective capacity to respond to disasters and other humanitarian situations that can have regional and global impacts.
“Our mission in Malaysia ultimately benefits the security and prosperity for all Indo-Pacific nations, including the United States,” said US Navy Captain Claudine Caluori, the mission commander.
As part of the ‘Pacific Partnership 23’, the mission team conducted missions throughout Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands.
Each year, the mission team works collectively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.
The ’Pacific Partnership 2023 earlier concluded its first mission stop in Tuy Hoa, Phu Yen Province in Vietnam and at San Fernando City, La Union in the Philippines last month. – airtimes.my