The ninth Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National SecurityOfficers (APPSNSO) is taking place in Singapore from May 4-8, drawingaround 80 security experts and scholars from 25 nations inside andoutside the region.

Delegates focus theirdiscussions on the theme “Globalisation and National Security” as wellas current extreme tendencies.

Speaking at theopening ceremony, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, CoordinatingMinister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Teo CheeHean said that measures and strategies to address global terror threats,such as those relating to the self-claimed Islamic State in Iraq andSyria, must be aligned with global circumstances and adapted to suiteach country’s conditions.

As local and globaldevelopments are intrinsically linked, countries should look at howthreats and problems arise and are addressed in other parts of the worldto better anticipate and manage similar challenges at home, hesuggested.

He also stressed the need for jointcooperation between governments, international organisations, theprivate sector and academia in dealing with these threats.

Countries should also build a society where people can work togetherto overcome the challenges regardless of differences in culture andorigin, he added.

APPSNSO is a close conferenceheld annually by Singapore’s Centre of Excellence for National Securityand the S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies with the support ofthe National Security Coordination Secretariat.-VNA