31 August 2012

Brunei: 6TH ASEAN NAVY CHIEFS’ MEETING 2012


The Royal Brunei Navy will host the 6th ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM6) from the 3rd until the 4th September 2012.  The theme for this year’s meeting is Friendship at Sea for Regional Maritime Peace and Security.  

The ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ and reprsentatives from the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will convene for a two day program at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.  The 6th ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM6) will be chaired by First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Halim bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy.  

Previously known as the ASEAN Navies Interaction (ANI), the first meeting was initiated in 2001.  Since then it has convened every two years.  With effect from the 5th meeting last year hosted by the Vietnam Peoples’ Navy in Hanoi, Vietnam, the ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM) replaces the ASEAN Navy Interaction as the official title of the meeting.  It is now held on an annual basis of voluntary rotation among ASEAN Member States.  

ANCM is an initiative by which ASEAN Navy’s leaders meet and seek opportunities to promote regional maritime security and stability through various initiatives and confidence building measures.  ANCM has proven to be an important milestone for ASEAN.  During the two day meeting members will follow up action items such as naval interaction programs and progress of Multi-lateral Information Sharing.  By the end of the two days, it will mark another milestone in the effort towards ensuring security at sea, which is a common aspiration towards creating stability and harmony in the region. It also promotes positive and sustainable economic development regionally.  It is a balance of tasks between protecting national interests and obligations of cooperating and coordinating at sea, in the spirit of solidarity and friendship amongst regional Navies. 

Since the acquisition of the new Patrol Vessels, Fast Patrol Boats and Fast Interceptor Boats, the Royal Brunei Navy has contributed significantly towards maritime security and extends their missions on a much wider scale both regionally and extra regionally.  This was apparent with the Royal Brunei Navy’s involvement with the Brunei International Fleet Review last year.  On top of the existing bilateral exercises, this year alone the Fleet has participated in a multi-national exercises, namely Exercise MILAN in India and currently Exercise KAKADU in Darwin, Australia.  The Royal Brunei Navy will continue to play a significant role in the region and maintains their commitment in contributing towards maritime peace and security.