Australia recently reaffirmed its commitment to combating the illegal trade of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with the successful completion of Exercise Pacific Protector 2024.
The illicit arms trade, according to NGO C4ADS, worth over $7 billion annually, fuels conflict, empowers actors involved in violence, and undermines peace and stability, particularly in the world’s most fragile states.
The event, held from 24 to 27 September in Sydney, was part of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a global partnership focused on preventing the spread of WMD-related materials.
As a founding member of the PSI, Australia led this year’s Asia-Pacific Exercise Rotation, aimed at enhancing the ability of countries in the Indo-Pacific region to disrupt illicit WMD-related activities. The four-day exercise featured academic discussions, table-top exercises, boarding operations, and hands-on training sessions.
Dr Sheridan Kearnan, Defence’s First Assistant Secretary for Strategic Policy, highlighted the significance of Pacific Protector 2024 in strengthening international collaboration and improving operational readiness.
“The exercise provided an opportunity to test real-world scenarios, enhance intelligence sharing, and streamline decision-making processes for interdiction operations,” Dr Kearnan said. “It sent a strong message to those involved in illicit proliferation that their activities are being monitored, and PSI partners are prepared to take individual or joint action to stop them.”
The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) provides the international community with the practical means of cooperating, consistent with national and international law and frameworks, to prevent illicit trafficking in weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems and related materials.
The 29 participating countries include Argentina, Australia, Chile, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Turkiye, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.
Key Australian agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Border Force, and Australian Federal Police also participated.
Prior to the exercise, on 23 September, Australia hosted the annual PSI steering group meeting – the Operational Experts Group – where Chile was welcomed as the newest member of the initiative.
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