Building a Foundation for Regional Security Architecture in the Asia-Pacific: Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding

Abstract

This chapter highlights the significance of developing a wide range of peacebuilding capacities in the Asia-Pacific region in order to address non-traditional security threats that emerge out of state failure. Australia and Japan will need to concentrate on the development of two key assets — human resources and platforms for joint training and action — when addressing these challenges both individually and jointly. This chapter reviews Japan’s initiative for Human Resource Development in Asia for Peacebuilding (HRDAP), which aims to contribute to peacebuilding through the training of civilian experts. However, it also sheds light on the importance of advancing Australia-Japan security cooperation in the field of peacebuilding as a vehicle for fostering regional security architecture. The chapter begins by providing a rationale for promoting regional cooperation for peacebuilding. It describes the HRDAP programme and suggests that training be recognised as a platform for regional security cooperation. It argues that capacity development for peacebuilding could be regarded as an opportunity to advance security cooperation among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region.