Defence News

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare has attended a Remembrance Day service with Australian soldiers who are part of regional assistance efforts on Operation ANODE in the Solomon Islands.

Mr Clare attended the ceremony as part of a visit to thank Australian soldiers and Australian Federal Police officers on their efforts.

Mr Clare was also briefed on the progress of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) by officials including:

• Mr Matthew Anderson, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands;
• Mr Nicholas Coppel, RAMSI Special Coordinator;
• Mr Wayne Higgins, RAMSI Deputy Special Coordinator;
• Dr Jane Lake, RAMSI Development Coordinator;
• Lieutenant Colonel Campbell Smith, Commander, RAMSI Combined Task Force; and
• Mr Paul Osborne, Commander, RAMSI Participating Police Force

Mr Clare also attended a briefing on the work of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency.

Operation ANODE is the name of the ADF’s contribution to the Australian-led RAMSI which has assisted the Solomon Islands Government in maintaining stability, law and justice, economic governance and improving the machinery of government since 2003.

Rotation 25 of Operation ANODE involves around 115 ADF personnel, mostly reservists from NSW.