SINGAPORE, 5 June 2011 – The Ministry of Defence of Brunei Darussalam had sent a delegation to the 10th Shangri La Dialogue which was held in Singapore from 3rd June to 5th June 2011. The Shangri La Dialogue was attended by over 400 delegates that comprised of government leaders, defence ministers, military chiefs, permanent secretaries as well as distinguished guests from 28 Asia Pacific and European states. The keynote speaker for this year was Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak.
Also known as the IISS Asia Security Summit, the Shangri La Dialogue is a forum organised annually by the London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) since 2002 with the aim of providing unique venue for vigorous defence diplomacy in the region. It offers the opportunity for information-sharing and exchanging of views pertaining to confidence building and practical security cooperation in response to the contemporary and emerging security challenges.
This year’s agenda included six plenary sessions covering topics of emerging security challenges for the Asia Pacific region, new military doctrines and capabilities in Asia, Asia’s new distribution for power and its implications, China’s international security cooperatrion, maritime security threats and building strategic confidence. Among key leaders presenting their views were the US Secretary of Defence Dr Robert M Gates, China’s Minister of National Defence General Liang Guanglie, Deputy Prime of Russia Sergei Ivanov and Singapore’s Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen.
Brunei Darussalam’s delegate was led by the Deputy Minister of Defence Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat. Also present were the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, and the Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development) Awang Haji Saifulbahri bin Haji Awang Mansor.
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the Permanent Secretary had the opportuniy to make several bilateral calls with respective counterparts from Singapore, United Kingdom and Australia. In those meetings, both parties expressed satisfaction on defence and military relations between the two sides and agrees to further enhance and strengthen the cooperation to a new height.