Backgrounder - Canada promotes regional security and safety in Southeast Asia
Backgrounder
Canada announced a total of more than $17 million in new funding through its security-related capacity-building programs.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum Defence Officials’ Dialogue and Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum Inter-sessional Support Group
- In 2017, Canada will co-chair and host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) Defence Officials’ Dialogue and ARF Inter-sessional Support Group Meeting on Confidence Building Measures and Preventive Diplomacy. These meetings facilitate security and defence cooperation in Asia and bring together representatives from the 27 ARF countries to discuss pressing international security issues.
Counter-terrorism capacity-building program
- $12 million over the next three years, including $500,000 in direct bilateral programming to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).
- This investment in new capacity-building assistance to ASEAN member states will enhance their ability to combat terrorism by, among other things, providing further training to law enforcement officials and strengthening border security.
Capacity-building assistance
- Up to $3 million over two years.
- This capacity-building assistance initiative, through Canada’s Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program, will support regional initiatives in Southeast Asia to prevent, deter and combat human smuggling through investigative training and better support for document examination.
Strengthening biological security
- $1.75 million from Canada’s Global Partnership Program over two years.
- A customized disease surveillance system will be developed by Canadian social enterprise BlueDot in support of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s March 2016 announcement of $20 million toward the Global Health Security Agenda.
Nuclear safety and security
- $500,000 from the Global Partnership Program over two years.
- This contribution agreement between the Global Partnership Program and the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) to counter the spread of weapons and materials of mass destruction will allow the ACE to hire a nuclear security expert for two years to support nuclear and radiological security expertise regarding the civilian use of nuclear energy.
Second Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project
- US$385,000 over four years.
- This project provides technical assistance to Cambodia, the Lao PDR and Vietnam to help institutionalize disaster risk management in the investment planning processes of secondary cities and towns. It aims to influence the design of a larger US$180-million investment project focusing on urban infrastructure.
Strengthening community resilience in Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries through disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
- US$225,000 over four years, to be implemented by partner Oxfam International.
- This project will support the ASEAN Secretariat in increasing replicable programs and models of community-building resilience across the region. It aligns with the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response Work Programme 2016-2020.
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Hon. Stéphane Dion Global Affairs Canada Government and Politics