APPSNO 2024: Defining the State of Security in Uncertain Conditions: Lessons and Responses

The Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO) 2024 was held at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay from 14 – 19 April 2024. Organised by the Centre for Excellence for National Security (CENS) with support from the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the programme’s theme was “Defining the State of Security in Uncertain Conditions: Lessons and Responses”.

Speakers from a range of nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Singapore shared their expertise and experiences on the following topics:

1. Conflicts Abroad; Effects at Home: Security Implications and Lessons for States: Amid ongoing global conflicts, there are myriad possible knock-on effects for states on a range of national security issues. National security agencies will need to rethink approaches to these threats in formulating policy responses and communicating them.
2. Looking for Latitude: Strategising Opportunities for Middle Powers in Uncertain Times: Middle powers share mutual interests and challenges but are often limited in terms of manoeuvring space and strategies by big power contestation. Middle powers need to find the flexing space to address mutual national security challenges including technology security, climate security, and information security.
3. Navigating the Fog of Grey Zone Tactics: ‘Grey zone’ tactics are deployed in the economic, technological/digital, social cohesion, and information domains, contributing to an increasingly complex warfare landscape. National security agencies should consider adopting available best practices and leveraging existing interdependencies on mounting countermeasures and deterrence.
4. International Developments in Supply Chain Resilience Amid De-Globalisation: While COVID provided valuable lessons on supply chain security, it remains to be seen if these lessons remain relevant, or if they are evolving. The state of play for supply chain security for critical supplies, materials, and technology needs to be understood as well as devising multilateral solutions to help states secure their national interests.
5. Securing the Energy Commons in the Face of Climate Change: New security risks for sustainable energy sources appear to be emerging, including geopolitical risks and corporate dominance. States need to consider individual and multilateral strategies to optimise equitable access to clean energy for their populations.