The ASEAN community is established under the principles of cooperation and understanding to build upon our strengths and to increase opportunities for growth. Through these principles, we not only hope to expand our capabilities in tackling challenges in politics, security, economics, society, and culture but to strive towards our ultimate goal of achieving peace and prosperity in the region.

       Under the purviews of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint, the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus established the Experts’ Working Group (EWG). These committees are charged with overseeing the six areas of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Maritime Security, Counter Terrorism, Peace Keeping Operations, Humanitarian Mine Action, and Military Medicine. It has been acknowledged that Military Medicine will play a crucial role in Humanitarian Assistance Cooperation and other areas of development.