Hammond, Defence Secretary
The British Government last week published a new strategy outlining how International Defence Engagement would be better focused towards contributing to wider government objectives.
A source at the MoD said the International Defence Engagement Strategy set out how all Defence activity short of combat operations would focus efforts on those countries which are most important to British national interests.
According to the source the strategy includes four pillars of defence: defence diplomacy, support to operations, exports and building stability, saying it ensures Britain is developing relationships and influence over a longer-term 20-year horizon so that we achieve our objectives in a period of significant uncertainty and change.
First examples of the new strategy in practice are
- establishing a new Defence Attaché & defence section in the Embassy in Burma;
- closer work with Libya including advice to train its military, especially its Navy and Air Force, and helping to establish bomb disposal and defence language schools;
- plans to open a new Defence Section in the new British Embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia; and
- recently opening a Defence Section in Juba, South Sudan.
Also, Vigilance learnt the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is exploring ways of using Army capabilities on a wide range of Defence Engagement tasks and will pilot this as the Army restructures its Adaptable Force Brigades as part of Army 2020.
It is said the strategy has been developed by the MOD and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in consultation with other Government Departments. £6 million of funding has been made available for this work through reprioritising existing budgets.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: “Defence, and in particular the Armed Forces, plays an important role in delivering Britain’s international objectives, drawing on our reputation and capabilities. This strategy is welcome at a time of limited financial resources, providing a means to focus our assets and activities such that we can make an even greater contribution to securing a safe and prosperous future for the UK.”
Whilst Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “The publication of the International Defence Engagement Strategy will help the UK to work more effectively to deliver our foreign policy objectives, delivering an integrated approach drawing on all of the levers of power across government.”
The strategy sets out how non-operational Defence assets and activities will in future be allocated to better contribute to wider governmental objectives and goals in the future. It is in line with the Strategic Defence and Security Review ‘s vision for an integrated approach to meeting our international objectives and it builds on the National Security Strategy (NSS). This concluded that we must use all of our national capabilities to build Britain’s prosperity, extend our nation’s influence in the world and strengthen our security.
Defence assets and activities play an essential and unique role in delivering the UK’s strategic aims, complementing our diplomatic, development, intelligence and trade promotion tools.
The 2010 National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review sets out the strategic context for the International Defence Engagement Strategy. The Government aims to focus its efforts where our national interests are most at stake and where we can achieve the greatest effect. International Defence Engagement is an essential part of this integrated approach and is complementary to the Government’s Building Stability Overseas Strategy, which was published in July 2011.
The International Defence Engagement Strategy (IDES) shapes Defence engagement over a longer horizon of up to 20 years and the strategy is complementary to the FCO’s recently announced network shift.
***The International Defence Engagement Strategy is available on the Government website:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-defence-engagement-strategy