It is indeed a great honor for me to welcome all the Distinguished Members, Observers and Partners of the Association of Asia-Pacific Operations Training Centers (AAPTC) to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Workshop of 2022. The association started its noble journey in 2010 with the Vision, ‘To be the leading forum for the development and execution of United Nations peace operations around the world.’ The association sailed a long way towards accomplishing its objectives outlined in the Road Map. We collectively organized AGMs, Workshops and other events successfully every year except in 2020 and 2021 due to the inadvertent global pandemic.

The evolving nature of conflict and changing dynamics of the operational environment are posing multidimensional complex challenges to the peacekeepers. Today, the peacekeepers themselves are becoming the targets of diverse non-traditional security threats and other environmental risks or hazards. The other associated challenges include broad and complex mission mandates that necessitate greater integration and harmonization of efforts among all stakeholders involved in the peacekeeping domain. At this backdrop, the United Nations has rightly conceptualized initiatives like the Action-for-Peacekeeping (A4P) and A4P Plus to cope with the dynamic challenges and also to serve as a ‘Driver of Change’ permeating all aspects of UN’s peacekeeping works.

The AAPTC took instant strides to actualize the initiative. However, our activities got somewhat stalled for about two years due to the pandemic. Our collective perseverance has brought us back on track. Today, we all have assembled here for the AGM and Workshop, where the theme is ‘Leading Change: Indo-Pacific Actions Supporting the United Nations Action-for-Peace (A4P) Initiatives Improving Performance in Peace Operations.’ I consider it to be a time worthy initiative and look forward to a professionally rewarding discourse for the next couple of days. I am also sanguine that this AGM and Workshop will immensely benefit the Troops Contributing Countries individually, and the AAPTC collectively, in forging and fostering greater cooperation and strengthening inter-operability.

Finally, on behalf of the AAPTC Secretariat, I assure you all of our whole-hearted commitment; and persistent support and cooperation in bringing visible positive changes towards our outlook and approach. We vow to support the Presidency and other esteemed members in taking this forum to a newer height, which will contribute effectively in materializing the Vision of the AAPTC and initiatives taken by the peacekeeping training community in days ahead.