12th edition of the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO 2018)

1. SINGAPORE (GMT+8) The security issues we face today are varied and complex. In order to respond to these threats effectively, there is a need to prioritise these issues to make the most of limited resources. Understanding today’s threatscape entails the ability to identify issues that fall under the remit of national security. The 12^th edition of the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO 2018) was launched today to understand the nature of national security, how it has been understood in the past and if these understandings still apply both today and in the future.

2. Under the theme of “Boundaries of National Security”, APPSNO 2018 will run from 7-11 May 2018, and is organised by the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), with the support of the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) in the Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore. Since its inception in 2007, APPSNO has grown into a leading regional forum on national security issues.

3. This year, more than 80 national security practitioners and scholars from 25 countries, including Singapore, the Asia Pacific, Middle-East and Europe, gathered to discuss challenges such as (i) national identity; (ii) governance and communication; (ii) new trends in radicalisation; and (iv) the future of national security.

4. In her opening address, Guest-of-Honour Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs, said, “The challenges to national security today are more interdependent and complex than ever. The boundaries to national security are blurring and evolving, and the solutions to security challenges are not always solely security in nature. Increasingly, good outcomes can only be achieved by collaborating with partners outside the security sector. The community has a role to play, to enlarge the common social space, and foster mutual understanding and trust. The business community and the technology companies have a role to play, to strengthen cybersecurity, and prevent the spread of falsehoods and hate speech.”

5. In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman, RSIS, emphasised the importance of identifying and prioritising security issues. He said, “Intrinsic within security measures is the ability to react effectively and accountably. Given the limited resources available to deal with threats, there is a need to prioritise these issues. We need to understand the threats we face. We must have the ability to identify issues that fall under the remit of national security.”

6. This year, speakers from nine countries will spearhead the discussions in the week-long programme. Mr Michael Shoebridge, Director of Defence and Strategy at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute will deliver the APPSNO Distinguished Alumni Dinner Lecture on 9 May while a lunch discussion comprised of panellists from CENS will look at “Singapore’s Security and its Futures”. Mr Shoebridge will speak on the boundaries of national security, in relation to the importance of controlling its scope and understanding emerging new priorities.

7. Other prominent speakers on the various programme panel discussions include:
   • Sofia Appelgren, Founder, Mitt Liv, Sweden
   • Greg Austin, Professor, Australian Centre for Cyber Security, University of New South Wales (Canberra), Professorial Fellow, EastWest Institute (EWI), Australia
   • Donara Barojan, Assistant Director, Research and Development, Digital Forensic Research Lab (@DFRLab), NATO Stratcom Centre of Excellence, Latvia
   • Susy Buchanan, Editor, Intelligence Project, Southern Poverty Law Center, United States
   • Ayse Caglar, Professor, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna, Austria
   • Julia Ebner, Research Fellow, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), United Kingdom
   • John B. Judis, Author and Journalist, United States
   • Mihoko Matsubara, Adjunct Fellow, Pacific Forum, Japan
   • Arthur Holland Michel, Co-director, Center for the Study of the Drone, Bard College, New York
   • Piers D Millett, Principal, Biosecure Ltd, United Kingdom
   • Rebecca Nadin, Head, Risk & Resilience Programme, Overseas Development Institute, United Kingdom
   • Kumar Ramakrishna, Associate Professor, Head, Policy Studies and Coordinator, National Security Studies Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
   • Tim Soutphommasane, Race Discrimination Commissioner, Australia
   • Guy Standing, Professorial Research Associate, School of Oriental and African Studies University of London, United Kingdom
   • Lior Tabansky, Head of Research Development, Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel

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