We were honoured to have a special input statement provided by PStS Thomas Hitschler, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence, who spoke on current developments in Germany and the Bundeswehr’s efforts to implement the capability overhaul announced by the government in 2022.

Recent events in Europe as well as in the Indo-Pacific region have highlighted just how interconnected the world has become, with events in one region having immediate and tangible consequences for another. From climate-related challenges to geo-political power struggles and energy security, global developments increasingly require even more sustained cooperation between like-minded, trusted partners on the basis of common principles. Australia and Germany have advanced their cooperation over the past few years, with Germany increasingly participating in Australian and multilateral defence exercises and the exploration of opportunities for further joint projects, including on energy security.

In view of these developments, a particular focus of the discussion was on the German ‘Zeitenwende’ and German-Australian Defence Cooperation in the Context of International Security Developments.