The Asia-Pacific is a region marked by rapid economic growth and emerging and historic security risks. Military and civil institutions have a shared interest in managing security concerns and building durable peace in the region. Therefore, they must dedicate themselves to dialogue and consultation to build mutual confidence and to resolve conflict amicably.
At the inter-governmental level, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) are relevant mechanisms for confidence building and conflict management. At the military-to-military level, the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO), organised by RSIS, provides a forum for military officers from the Asia-Pacific and beyond to interact on a pan-regional scale.
Opening the 25th edition of APPSMO, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Manpower, encouraged participants to “take advantage of the opportunity that APPSMO offers, to engage in an open exchange of views with your peers and explore innovative solutions to the challenges we face. I also urge you to cultivate meaningful and lasting friendships over the course of the next few days.” Watch his speech here:
Dr Yose Rizal Damuri, Executive Director, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia, gave a Distinguished Speaker’s Lecture on “Complexity of Global Economy and Geopolitical Dynamics”. Watch his lecture here: