On December 6, 2024, Australian Minister of Defense Richard Marles and New Zealand Minister of Defense Judith Collins signed a new Joint Statement on Closer Defense Relations. The signing event took place in the context of strengthening military collaboration between the two nations. The updated document focuses on enhancing coordination, coherence, and interoperability of military structures. The Australian Department of Defense announced the new statement on its website. The alliance, deeply rooted in shared history and common values, traces back to the Canberra Pact of 1944 and the ANZUS Treaty of 1951. This partnership aims to reaffirm both countries’ commitment to mutual defense in the Pacific region.

The new agreement outlines five common objectives, including the enhancement of interoperability, support for Pacific sovereign security, and effective defense industry collaboration. Specific measures are planned to integrate New Zealand’s military units, including its Infantry Battlegroup, with Australian forces. Air force training and personnel exchange will be intensified to improve coordination. The importance of exchanging senior officers in leadership roles is emphasized to further boost interoperability. The defense industries of both countries aim to remove barriers to collaborative participation in logistic and service contracts. Recent discussions, starting in August 2023, hinted at uniting in a program

ملخص الأخبار

• الاتفاقية الجديدة تعزز الشراكة الأمنية بموجب معاهدة أنزوس 1951 لمواجهة الأخطار المشتركة في المحيط الهادئ.
• تم تحديد خمس أهداف مشتركة لتعزيز الأمن الجماعي وتحسين التعاون الدفاعي والصناعي.
• الاتفاقية تشمل دمج قوات المهام الخاصة النيوزيلندية مع وحدات أسترالية مماثلة وتوسيع دوران الوحدات النيوزيلندية في أستراليا.
• السعي لإزالة العوائق التي تمنع مشاركة الصناعات الدفاعية في عقود الخدمات اللوجستية بالبلدين وتوحيد برنامج شراء الفرقاطات الخفيفة.