Visit to Copenhagen for Counter-Daesh Defence Ministers' meeting

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, will travel to Copenhagen today for discussions on key Australian defence, security and strategic interests.

Minister Payne will attend a meeting of Defence Ministers from the Counter-Daesh coalition on 9 May 2017, to discuss the military campaigns in Iraq and Syria. Co-hosted by Danish Minister of Defence, Claus Hjort Frederiksen and United States Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, the meeting brings together Defence Ministers from coalition contributing countries.

The coalition will continue to support Iraq and its security forces so it is able to keep its people safe, maintain appropriate control over its territory and combat Daesh. This meeting will be an opportunity to further progress the coalition campaign against the terrorist group.

Whilst in Copenhagen, Minister Payne will meet with a number of her counterparts to discuss a range of shared defence and security issues.

Minister Payne will farewell the outgoing French Minister for Defence, Monsieur Jean-Yves Le Drian, who has been a key partner both in the fight against Daesh and strong cooperation in the Pacific, but also in developing the framework between the Australian and French Governments required for the developing of the Royal Australian Navy’s new submarine fleet.