Reimagining cyber capacity-building in Southeast Asia - seminar and panel discussion

On Wednesday, 03 April the ANU Philippines Institute, together with the Pacific Forum, hosted a seminar and panel discussion titled 'Reimagining cyber capacity-building in Southeast Asia'. 

During the seminar Mark Manantan, Director of Cybersecurity and Critical Technologies at the Pacific Forum, presented the findings and outcomes of the Cyber ASEAN report, that resulted from two-year multistakeholder consultations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam throughout 2022 – 2023. 

Among the key insights from the launch is the emphasis on bottom-up and ‘homegrown’ approaches to developing tools and frameworks for cyber cooperation; and the importance of strengthening pre-existing communities of practice in Southeast Asia. The panellists spoke to a variety of issues including trust-building to enable effective response to threats, importance of a clear ‘business case’ for promoting cyber resilience, and the multiple interpretations as well as contested meanings of ‘cyber’ in the region.

The seminar and panel discussion brought together stakeholders in a timely discussion against the backdrop of rapidly evolving technological landscapes and digital threats, especially following the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 28 February 2024 between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of Australia on Cyber and Critical Technology Cooperation. 

Image credit: Luka Vertessy, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.