Joint Communique on International Ministerial (5-Eyes) Conference on Veterans' Issues

Joint Communique on International Ministerial (5-Eyes) Conference on Veterans’ Issues

On 19 and 20 July 2017, Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood hosted the International Ministerial Conference on Veterans’ Issues.

On 19 and 20 July 2017, Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood welcomed delegations from the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to the International Ministerial Conference on Veterans’ Issues at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Mr Ellwood, The Honourable David Shulkin, US Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, The Honourable Kent Hehr, Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, The Honourable Dan Tehan, Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Ms Bernadine Mackenzie, the New Zealand Head of Veterans’ Affairs, and delegates from all nations came together under a shared commitment to their defence and veteran communities to discuss veterans’ mental health and transition from military to civilian life.

Delegates were honoured to be hosted at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and to be shown the grounds by the Chelsea Pensioners. Over the course of the two-day conference, the five countries identified many overlapping themes and mutual challenges, including for some nations addressing and treating post-traumatic disorder, rates of suicide and homelessness among veterans, barriers to mental health care, alternative therapies, veteran-centric approaches to the provision of services, and early intervention.

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