HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/18/12 -- The fourth annual Halifax International Security Forum concluded today in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, declared the Forum a resounding success.

"Once more, the Halifax Forum has brought the world's top thinkers and decision-makers together on Canadian shores to discuss the issues affecting the security of the world today and in the future," said Minister MacKay. "The Forum's unique format has encouraged dynamic and open debate and improved our understanding of pressing international security challenges."

The three-day event brought together over 300 prominent defence and international security experts and practitioners from around the world to discuss ideas and share insights on important global security challenges. Topics discussed included current trends in international security, the crisis in Syria, the rise of China, dynamics in the Middle East, the impact of technological change on modern warfare, and the special responsibilities of democratic nations.

"Once again, Atlantic Canada and in particular, Halifax, has proven to be an excellent host city for North America's premiere defence and security summit, opening the door for comprehensive discussions and solutions on key issues", said Associate Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Honourable Bernard Valcourt. "I am confident that the ideas shared this weekend will set the tone and help shape this upcoming year's international security agenda."

This year's international participants included Senators John McCain, Barbara Mikulski, John Barrasso and Mark Udall and Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Dr. James N. Miller from the United States, Special Advisor to the President Abdul Rahim Wardak from Afghanistan, Minister of National Defence Juan Carlos Pinzon Bueno from Colombia, Secretary for National Defence and Security Francis Delon from France, Parliamentary State Secretary for Defence Christian Schmidt from Germany, Deputy Director General for Strategic Affairs Jeremy Issacharoff from Israel, Chief of Defence Staff Major General Antony Anderson from Jamaica, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Jean-Paul Palomeros from NATO, State Secretary for Defence Eirik Owre Thorshaug from Norway, Minister for the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction Mohammed Shtayyeh from the Palestinian Authority, and First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vucic from Serbia.

During the Forum, Minister MacKay also signed a Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with Colombia, which will provide a strategic framework for our growing defence relationship.

Furthermore, during a defence bilateral meeting, Minister MacKay took the opportunity to present General Abdul Rahim Wardak, Special Advisor to the President of Afghanistan, with an honorary degree from the Royal Military College of Canada. The honorary degree was awarded to General Wardak for his dedicated cooperation with Canada and for his commitment to building Afghanistan's security forces and supporting its development in the long term.

The Forum was supported by the Government of Canada which, since the Forum's inaugural conference in 2009, has provided approximately $2.5 million each year in financial support.

For further information, especially on the Forum's participants, please consult the following backgrounder: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=4506

Please find the Forum's quotable quotes page here: http://halifaxtheforum.org/2011-forum/quotes/.

For more information on the Forum please go to: http://www.halifaxtheforum.org.

Imagery is available at http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=photos&template=detail_eng.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=47870&site=combatcamera.

In case of technical issues with the main gallery, the imagery can be found on this FTP link: http://www.combatcamera.ca/HISF/.