BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Thursday, 7 March 2013 – The Network of ASEAN Defence and Security Institutions (NADI) successfully concluded its sixth meeting today. The two-day event which started on 6 March, chaired and hosted by the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS), was held at the Rizqun International Hotel and attended by NADI delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The meeting first considered and discussed the current regional defence and security environment, and its implications on defence cooperation. It then focused on regional defence cooperation within ASEAN as well as with its Dialogue Partners. Members discussed defence and security trends, assessed the work done in the defence sectoral of the ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC) and also examined the way forward for NADI, including to enhance its contribution to the Track I in particular the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and its related meeting.
The meeting emphasised on the need for ASEAN to ensure its unity and solidarity through continued collective cooperation and to bridge differences among one another in order to maintain centrality. While there are traditional challenges including longstanding territorial disputes, it is important for ASEAN defence sectoral to focus on cooperation rather than resolution of conflict.
Defence cooperation in ASEAN has made progress, and it is important for ADMM to continue to maintain its central role and for the Member States to deepen their cooperation among one another. As a way forward, NADI recommended the strengthening of cooperation in addressing non-traditional security issues, including Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Maritime Security.
Military modernisation arises from the need to address current security challenges. It is also inseparable from economic prosperity and advances in technology. In this regard, ASEAN Member States, as well as its Dialogue Partners, must embrace opportunities to strengthen cooperation and continue peaceful engagements with each other.
During the meeting, NADI adopted its Terms of Reference (TOR) as a reference document and guideline in conducting future NADI meetings and activities as well as to ensure those activities planned and conducted throughout the year meet the objectives of NADI.
The meeting took note of the links between NADI and ASEAN Defence Senior Officials Meeting (ADSOM) where reports of NADI workshops are submitted to Track I through the NADI Chairman, and for the NADI Chairman to share the recommendations of the annual NADI meeting with ADSOM. NADI also recognized the need to be more proactive in supporting the ADMM process.
An Informal Dinner was held between the NADI Chairman, incoming NADI Chairman, NADI Secretariat and friends of the Chair, and the ADSOM WG Chairman. There was a general view that NADI could contribute further on regional defence and security architecture, areas under the APSC and ADMM Work Programme, and emerging security issues.
NADI will be holding two workshops this year on ‘Strengthening Strategic Security Cooperation in ASEAN’ in Bangkok, Thailand on 27-30 March and ‘Security and Development’ in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 13-16 May.
NADI was inaugurated in 2007 as the Track II network of ASEAN defence and security institutions.