MUNICH, BERLIN, AND KYIV — Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield travelled to Germany in early September for a series of meetings aimed at deepening cooperation between Australia and European partners on international security.
On 8 September, Wakefield met with Munich Security Conference (MSC) CEO Benedikt Franke to discuss avenues for cooperation between the AIIA and the MSC. In the days that followed, he also held discussions with members of the Australian business and diplomatic community in Germany as well as with representatives of the Bavarian government, focusing on Australia’s role in Europe and opportunities for closer collaboration.
On 13 September, Wakefield was invited to contribute to the Munich Security Conference Advisory Board Meeting in Kyiv, held on the sidelines of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum. The meeting brought together international experts to advise on the most pressing global security challenges.
He noted the importance of dialogue between Australia and Europe. “Europe and Germany both have Indo-Pacific strategies or guidelines. For those strategies to be effective, they must be informed by a deeper understanding of the unique and complex dynamics of our region. A closer dialogue with Australia can help sharpen their approaches and ensure that their policies contribute constructively to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.”
Wakefield also emphasised the value of Australia’s engagement with the MSC. “It is a pleasure for me to be developing closer relations with the Munich Security Conference. I have a close connection to Bavaria, having spent a year on exchange in Lower Bavaria as a high school student, and I still speak the local dialect. To be able to contribute to the MSC’s work now is particularly meaningful for me personally.”
