KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Leaders from 30 of 34 Armies across the Indo-Asia-Pacific gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sept. 26 for the opening ceremony of the 40th Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS XL) co-hosted by the Malaysian Army and U.S. Army Pacific.
"I can think of no finer, or more appropriate theme for this year than 'Unity of Effort.' The need to build civil-military partnerships to counter violent extremism is not just an ideal, it's an absolute," said USARPAC Commanding General, Gen. Robert B. Brown.
"Let me express my great pleasure to be with all of you to give the opening remarks for the 40th Pacific Armies Management Seminar. I wish to extend my heartiest welcome, 'Selamat Datang' to all our distinguished participants," said Malaysia Army Field Commander West and PAMS 2016 co-host, Lt. Gen. Dato' Sri Zulkiple.
"This seminar, surely with the attendance by selected group of senior officers in the Asia-Pacific Region will be a good ground for sharing information," said Zulkiple.
During Brown's opening remarks he thanked his co-host.
"I must recognize and thank the government and Armed Forces of our co-host Malaysia for your hardwork and incredibly impressive efforts in organizing this year's event," said Brown.
Minister of Defence Malaysia Dato' Seri Hishammuddin provided the keynote speaker address to the over 100 PAMS attendees.
"If we are united in our purpose, resolute in our faith as well as comprehensive and inclusive in our approach, I sincerely believe that we can secure peace and stability of the world we live in today," said Hishammuddin.
PAMS XL is scheduled plenary discussions cover Violent Extremism: Defining the Problem from the Perspective of Regional Armies; Violent Extremism and the Information Domain: Challenges and Opportunities; and Creating Enduring Civil-Military Partnerships in Responding to Radicalization.
This year's PAMS has representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, United States, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
"PAMS continues to be the premier land power forum in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region for promoting security cooperation. Events like this continues to shape the arc of the Pacific stability in the 21st century," said Brown.
PAMS is the largest theater security and cooperation event co-hosted by USARPAC in terms of country participation and the role of co-host rotates to a different partner nation annually. The long-term objective of PAMS is to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship.