Chapter 5 – Project Our Global Influence 49 Defence engagement 5.12 We are making our defence policy and plans international by design. Our Armed Forces have always operated internationally, deterring major threats, responding to crises and conflicts, and exercising and building defence capabilities together with our allies and partners. We will place more emphasis on being able to operate alongside our allies, including in the UK-France Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, and NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force which the UK will lead in 2017. 5.13 Through defence engagement, our Armed Forces help build our understanding and increase our influence in regions that matter to us. Royal Navy ships’ visits, for example, are an important way of projecting our soft power. This contributes to our cross-government work overseas to build cooperation to tackle key challenges such as instability, terrorism and extremism, serious and organised crime, and threats to maritime security. Defence engagement also enables faster responses to crises, and promotes our prosperity through support to defence exports. 5.14 As part of this, we will make defence engagement a funded, core MOD task for the first time, meaning that the Armed Forces will prioritise defence engagement alongside other core tasks. We will invest in the skills required by opening a new Defence Attaché and Loan Service Centre in the Defence Academy and establishing an Armed Forces defence engagement career stream, making better use of Reservists. We will also establish British Defence Staffs in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa in 2016, and increase our institution and capacity building with partners. We will increase the training we offer to international partners. Support to our soft power 5.15 Much of the UK’s soft power is completely independent of government, and this is what gives it its strength. In some areas, however, the Government has chosen to invest in people and organisations which play their part in building understanding between countries and promoting the exchange of information and ideas. 5.16 The British Council promotes understanding between the UK and the wider world. The Council works in over 100 countries worldwide, and each year reaches over 20 million people face to face and more than 500 million online and via broadcasts and publications. The British Council also provides English language training and expertise around the world, reaching over 200 million people each year. We will continue to invest in the British Council to support their programmes targeted at reducing extremism, building skills and promoting institutional reform. 5.17 The BBC currently reaches 308 million people worldwide, and its goal is to reach 500 million people by 2022. The BBC World Service reaches into some of the most remote places in the world, providing a link to the UK for individuals and societies who would otherwise not have this opportunity. We will invest £85 million each year by 2017/18 in the BBC’s digital, TV and radio services around the world to build the global reach of the World Service and increase access to news and information.