BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 7 September 2015 - The 8th Asia-Pacific Intelligence Chiefs Conference (APICC) was officially launched today in a ceremony held at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
The three-day conference is jointly organised by the Ministry of Defence through its Directorate of Intelligence and the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) and marks the first time the Sultanate has co-hosted APICC with the United States.
APICC aims to promote open dialogue for military intelligence chiefs in the Asia-Pacific region to further build their networks and enhance cooperation towards a more consolidated response to common security challenges which this year carries the theme “Pursuing Stability Through Defence Intelligence Cooperation”.
Heads and representatives of military intelligence organisations from 24 countries are taking part in the conference. The countries are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.
Present as guest of honour at the opening ceremony was Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
On the sidelines of APICC, various bilateral meetings between the participating countries also took place.
Initiated in Kuala Lumpur by USPACOM in 2007, APICC serves as an annual regional avenue that gives military intelligence chiefs the opportunity to come together, interact closely and discuss cooperative matters within the intelligence field. Its continued relevance is a strong reflection of its importance in shaping a more robust cooperative dynamic in addressing the multi-faceted security challenges in the Asia-Pacific.