Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will depart on November 18 for a trip to Canada, Indonesia and Cambodia. In Nova Scotia, he will deliver keynote remarks at the 2022 Halifax International Security Forum centered on the Department’s efforts to build a more resilient security architecture in concert with Allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific and Europe. He will also meet with Canadian Minister of National Defence Anita Anand to discuss the close defense relationship between the U.S. and Canada and the importance of strategic investments in defense capabilities.
From there, Secretary Austin will travel to Jakarta, where he will meet with senior government and military leaders as the United States and Indonesia work to chart an ambitious course in their defense partnership. Secretary Austin’s visit will drive progress on key bilateral initiatives to support interoperability, capability development, and the professionalization and modernization of the Indonesian Armed Forces.
Finally, in Cambodia, Secretary Austin will participate in the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, alongside the ten ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners. Secretary Austin’s first in-person participation at the forum, which was conducted virtually during the COVID pandemic, continues a long tradition of U.S. Secretary of Defense representation at the ADMM-Plus.
On the margins of the ADMM-Plus program of events, Secretary Austin will hold an informal multilateral engagement with his ASEAN counterparts and meet with his counterparts from Cambodia and a range of partner nations. Each of these engagements will highlight the important strides the Department is taking alongside Allies and partners to bring greater stability, transparency, and openness to the Indo-Pacific region.