The document outlines the strategic plan for the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence for 2009-2011. The Centre aims to improve civil-military collaboration in conflict and disaster management in the Asia-Pacific region. Its key objectives are to develop best practices in civil-military training, support effective disaster and conflict responses, and strengthen engagement on these issues nationally, regionally, and internationally. The strategic plan details the Centre's vision, mission, objectives, priorities, stakeholders, partnerships and planned activities and deliverables for 2009-2011 to achieve its goals.

1. STRATEGIC PLAN
2009-2011
April 2009

2. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
STRATEGIC PLAN 2009 2011
Who We Are
The Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence (the Centre ) is a whole-of-government
initiative to improve Australia s effectiveness in civil-military collaboration for conflict and
disaster management overseas. The Centre was officially opened by the Prime Minister,
the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, on 27 November 2008.
The Centre engages with, and supports, government departments and agencies, non-
government organisations and international partners, including the United Nations, on
civil-military issues to achieve focused outcomes for the region and globally. We support
best practice approaches to civil-military engagement by those involved in the strategic
planning and delivery of conflict and disaster management activities.
The Centre is staffed by officials of relevant Australian Government departments and
agencies. It is managed by the Defence Organisation. The Executive Director reports
directly to the Secretary of the Department of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Force.
Portfolio responsibility resides with the Minister for Defence, through the Parliamentary
Secretary for Defence Support.
The Centre s mandate and performance are to be reviewed by the Australian Government in
2011.
Purpose of the Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan provides the rationale and parameters for the Centre s work. It builds on
the Strategic Statement and is supported by a detailed Business Plan. The Centre s Strategic
Plan will be reviewed annually.
Our Vision
The Centre contributes to the enhancement of peace and security, primarily in the Asia-
Pacific region, through improved civil-military collaboration in conflict and disaster
management.
Our Mission
The Centre supports the development of national civil-military capabilities to prevent,
prepare for, and respond more effectively to, conflicts and disasters overseas.
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3. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
Our Strategic Objectives
The Centre:
· Develops best practice in civil-military training, education, doctrine, research and
implementation
· Supports cohesive civil-military effectiveness in disaster and conflict management
overseas
· Strengthens national, regional and international engagement in civil-military affairs
Our Strategic Environment
Attention to civil-military collaboration has increased in recent years in light of the lessons
learned from disaster and conflict responses around the world. Australia has joined the
United States, United Kingdom, United Nations, and a number of other bilateral, regional
and international partners, in taking proactive steps to harness and coordinate civil-military
capabilities for stronger outcomes in conflict and disaster prevention, mitigation, and
response. This work is imperative for countries and organisations operating within bilateral,
multilateral and multinational arrangements, in increasingly complex environments that
demand cohesive and well coordinated strategic and operational approaches.
The strengthening of Australia s security framework to ensure that Australia is well placed
to respond to complex and interconnected operating environments is at the core of the
Prime Minister s National Security Statement of 4 December 2008. The Statement
highlights the need for Australia to ensure an integrated approach to security, based on a
clear-sighted view of long term national security interests. The Centre s work contributes to
the Government s objective for an international environment that is stable, peaceful and
prosperous, and a rules-based order that enhances Australia s national interests. The
Centre will be responsive to revisions of the National Security Statement and future White
Papers and policy documents.
The Centre promotes coherence across Australia s security, diplomatic and development
communities, and assists in the building and linking of their respective capabilities. In doing
so, we address the finding of the 2008 Review of Homeland and Border Security which
highlighted the need for better coordination between national security departments,
agencies and capabilities. Such coordination requires arrangements that optimise
mechanisms for strategic planning, and that ensure agencies benefit from each other s skills,
experience and other capabilities.
The Centre value-adds to the work of Australian Government departments and agencies,
and non-government sector agencies with a role in conflict and disaster management
overseas. We promote enhanced whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approaches to
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4. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
disaster management, humanitarian assistance, stabilisation and reconstruction,
governance and rule of law assistance, and conflict prevention, with a primary focus on the
Asia Pacific region.
In line with the Australian Government s Three Pillars foreign policy, the Centre s work
supports our alliance with the United States, strengthens our regional engagement in the
Asia Pacific, and reinforces our multilateral relationships, particularly with the United
Nations. Through dialogue and civil-military programs involving ASEAN, the Pacific Island
Forum, the African Union, the European Union and a range of bilateral partners, we will help
to advance Australia s key diplomatic and security relationships.
Our Responsibilities and Priorities
Through the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of the Department of Defence,
the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence assists relevant departments and agencies
by:
(i) Contributing to the development of a conceptual framework for civil-military
collaboration in conflict and disaster management overseas;
(ii) Carrying out research, capturing lessons learned, developing doctrine and facilitating
training programs that contribute directly to the ability of the Australian
Government to develop an effective civil-military capacity for conflict prevention and
disaster management overseas;
(iii) Working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other agencies to
develop cooperative relationships with key Australian and international
organisations (including relevant UN agencies, international peacekeeping centres,
tertiary institutions, non-government organisations and the commercial sector ) so
as to further best practice on civil-military issues;
(iv) Advising agencies on civil-military matters relating to:
(a) the development of integrated capabilities to achieve a coherent, whole-of-
government strategy for peace and stabilisation operations;
(b) transitioning between the military and civilian phases of operations, and
(v) in the longer term, developing civil-military training to improve regional capacity for
conflict and disaster management.
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5. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
Our Stakeholders
The Centre s primary stakeholders are those Australian Government departments and
agencies involved in strategic-level planning and operations for disaster and conflict
management overseas. These include the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (in
particular, the Office of the National Security Adviser), the Defence Organisation (Defence),
the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), AusAID, the Attorney-General s
Department (AGD) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) (principally the International
Deployment Group).
Through a range of activities that promote collaboration between civilian and military
personnel, we contribute to the Australian Government s vision of an Australian Defence
Force (ADF) that is responsive across a range of conflict and disaster situations. We work
with the Australian Defence Force Warfare Centre and the Asia Pacific Centre for Military
Law in helping to achieve this aim. We support efforts to strengthen the inter-operability of
Defence and the AFP for overseas missions, and AFP s capacity to support security sector
reforms in the region in concert with Defence, DFAT, AusAID and AGD.
The Centre has strong links with the relevant areas within Defence, DFAT, AusAID, AFP and
AGD to ensure coherence in our regional and international engagement, across the
spectrum of disaster and conflict mitigation and prevention, crisis response and long term
statebuilding.
Our Partners
To advance best practice in Australia s civil-military collaboration overseas, the Centre
maintains a number of strategic partnerships with domestic, bilateral, regional and
international organisations.
Domestic
The Centre harnesses the experience of those organisations in Australia s non-government
sector involved in disaster and conflict management support overseas and which make an
important contribution to Australia s national security. Through our engagement with the
Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and member non-government
organisations (NGOs), the Australian commercial sector, and universities and research
institutes, we support, and benefit from, the broad range of national capabilities that
support civilian and military efforts overseas.
Bilateral
The Centre contributes to advancing a number of Australia s strategic bilateral partnerships.
By forging ties with relevant US and UK Government agencies, such as the US Center for
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6. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance in Honolulu and the UK
Stabilisation Unit in London, we seek to share relevant research and facilitate joint training
programs. We support defence and civilian engagements with Australia s bilateral partners
in the Asia Pacific region and ensure our education and training, research, and doctrine
development programs, provide opportunities for input from these partners and support
skills development for their civil-military effectiveness.
Regional and International
We participate in relevant initiatives under the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive
Partnership, and those agreed between the Pacific Islands Forum and Australia. The Centre
supports Australia s commitment to enhancing diplomatic and security ties with Africa
through a program of work with the African Union.
Working closely with Australia s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the Centre
engages closely with relevant UN bodies principally the Departments of Peacekeeping
Operations and Political Affairs, the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the
Peacebuilding Commission to help strengthen UN doctrine, training and research, and to
support the exchange and development of civil-military experience and guidance. In our
work, we value and encourage the involvement of the International Committee of the Red
Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in the
Centre s activities. Furthermore, international research and training institutions with
expertise on civil-military issues, such as the United States Institute of Peace, the Henry
L. Stimson Center and the Folke Bernadotte Academy in Sweden, are important partners for
the Centre.
Our Approach
The Centre adopts a flexible and innovative approach to the achievement of our mission and
strategic objectives. With staff drawn from different agencies and backgrounds, our Centre
is a practical example of the interagency collaboration we promote.
We remain responsive to current and emerging Australian Government foreign and security
policy priorities. We provide practical advice, and facilitate research, training and
education, and doctrine development, on civil-military issues of key interest to relevant
agencies.
We are outcome-focused and aim to increase civil-military effectiveness through:
· collaborative learning gathering experts from different disciplinary backgrounds
and traditions and fusing current practice with future trends and issues;
· challenging thought solving problems by marshalling facts and ideas and
developing challenging tasks to common problems;
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7. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
· recognising multiple perspectives approaching activities in a way that
acknowledges different agency needs and cultures and does not seek a one-size-fits-
all solution;
· promoting cooperation and teamwork supporting a multi-agency approach that
harnesses agency attributes and builds agreement by acknowledging all voices; and
· embracing community responsibility participating and being responsible within the
global community through dialogue, deliberation and consensus building.
Our Resources
The Centre values people and ideas. Our capable staff are committed to bridging
organisational cultures to achieve more effective whole-of-government and whole-of-nation
outcomes. Our team of around 20 are a mix of civilian, police and military personnel
(including reservists), drawn from Defence, AFP, AusAID, DFAT, and AGD. The New Zealand
Government and the Australian NGO community may provide personnel to the Centre in
the future. The team will be supplemented, as necessary, by project-specific experts,
researchers and trainers.
The Centre s annual budget of $4.8 million in FY2009-10 and FY2010-11, provided by
Defence and supplemented by other departments and agencies to cover relevant personnel
costs, enables the delivery of high quality, demand-driven programs. The majority of the
Centre s funds are directed towards action research and training on relevant civil-military
issues. The Centre applies sound business practice to the management of its resources and
complies with the Australian Government s financial and procurement procedures.
Our Deliverables 2009-2011
The Centre delivers relevant and practical programs in four key focus areas:
· disaster management, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction;
· peace and stabilisation operations;
· conflict prevention; and
· governance and the rule of law.
In its first full year, the Centre will assist Australian Government agencies to develop a
Conceptual Framework for conflict and disaster management overseas. This framework will
help guide relevant agencies towards more effective civil-military outcomes. We will also
undertake and commission action research on cutting-edge civil-military issues, and ensure
the lessons from Australian and international experience are well documented,
disseminated and applied in future civil-military planning and operational processes.
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8. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
Our research findings will help inform the content of our education and training programs to
ensure we are developing and delivering contemporary training for Australian and regional
personnel.
We will use a variety of communication and outreach mechanisms in disseminating our
work as widely as possible, including through the Centre s website, forums and training
events.
In addition to assisting with the development of the conceptual framework, our key
deliverables will include:
o Audit of civil-military training programs on offer in Australia and the region;
o Development of Australian Guidelines for NGO-ADF-AFP collaboration in conflict and
disaster response operations;
o A commissioned independent study on key civil-military lessons from Australia s
responses to conflicts and disasters in the region since 2003;
o Conduct of an annual International Peace Operations Seminar for international and
Australian participants;
o Conduct of an annual Civil-Military Cooperation Course for Australian and
international participants (with the Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law);
o From 2010, the delivery of at least one Civil-Military Coordination Course on behalf
of the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs;
o Commencing in 2009, assistance to the African Union to conduct a Symposium on
the Protection of Civilians in Peace Operations, in cooperation with the UN;
o Hosting of the International Challenges of Peacekeeping Operations Forum in 2010;
o Developing a Senior Leaders Forum on Civil-Military Affairs, for initial delivery in
2010;
o Selected research programs with universities on civil-military issues, including
protection of civilians in peace operations;
o From 2009, an outreach education program with the University of Sydney to
coordinate a post-graduate course on Civil-Military Relations in Conflicts and
Disasters;
o Support to the World Bank study on Challenges in Statebuilding: Peacebuilding and
the Security-Development Nexus;
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9. ASIA PACIFIC CIVIL-MILITARY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2011
o Commissioned studies on civil-military aspects relevant to security system reform
and capacity building in the region, for example in Timor Leste and Solomon Islands;
and
o Delivery of civil-military training for Australian civilians to be deployed on overseas
missions and assignments.
Further details of the Centre s deliverables and resource allocations are outlined in the
Centre s Business Plan.
Our Performance
The Centre is committed to delivering a work program that responds to the priority needs of
our key stakeholders and which benefits from, and assists, our partners. Each program of
work undertaken by the Centre will have specific outcomes and tools to measure the
achievements. These will be developed and articulated through the Centre s business
planning process.
We welcome regular feedback on our work from our stakeholders and partners to ensure
the Centre continuously provides highly valued products and services.
Our business management processes are subject to regular reviews within Defence to
ensure accountability and efficiency in the use of our resources.
The Centre s progress will be reviewed by the Australian Government in FY2010 11.
Michael G Smith
Executive Director
Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence
15 April 2009
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