The Canadian Army will host a Conference of American Armies (CAA) Specialized Conference in Toronto, Ontario, from February 6 to 10, 2017. The CAA is an opportunity for Army leaders from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean to meet on a regular basis to discuss areas of mutual interest and share lessons learned. The CAA contributes to the security and democratic development of member countries, from a military perspective.
The theme of this year’s CAA Specialized Conference is Training in the Interagency Environment, and will explore training for domestic operations with an emphasis on sharing lessons learned and best practices.
Quotes
“Canada is proud to host, for the sixth time since joining in 1993, a Specialized Conference of the Conference of American Armies. It is through this long-term and active multilateral dialogue that we can better understand and identify the needs, challenges, and areas for potential collaboration in pursuit of common goals. Canada is a committed partner in these efforts and will continue to work with member nations to address complex security challenges in a manner that promotes partnerships and cooperation.”
Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk, Commander Canadian Army
Quick Facts
The CAA is an international military organization comprised and run by the Armies of North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean with authorization from their respective governments. The CAA operates independently under its own by-laws approved by the member army commanders.
Founded in 1960, the aim of the CAA is the analysis, debate, and exchange of ideas and experiences related to matters of common interest in the field of defence.
The CAA presently consists of 20 Member Armies, five Observer Armies, one Special Observer Army, and two Observer International Organizations.
The CAA leadership, known as the Permanent Executive Secretariat of the CAA (PESCAA), changes voluntarily every two years among the Member Armies.
The CAA functions over a two-year cycle as a series of Specialized Conferences, Ad Hoc Meetings, and Exercises, which support a Mandatory Theme approved by the Member Army Commanders. It is currently in its 32nd Cycle.
Each cycle culminates with a meeting of the Army Commanders who approve the work of the past cycle and provide guidance for the execution of the next two-year cycle.