39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable Will Have A Dedicated Caucus On Myanmar - ISIS Malaysia

By Rohani Mohd Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- The situation in Myanmar will be discussed thoroughly in one of the caucuses of the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (APR), which begins Tuesday (June 30), said Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia executive chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah. 

He said during the recent ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, the questions on Myanmar were rather muted in the sense that these were the official lines taken by ASEAN states. 

“Therefore, during the 39th APR, there will be some very intense discussions that we are going to have both at the APR proper session and the caucus as well.

“The APR practitioners, think tank, and Myanmar experts will engage far deeper,” Mohd Faiz said, when appearing as a guest in Bernama TV’s Bernama World programme on the topic “39 Years of The Asia-Pacific Roundtable” at Wisma Bernama on Monday. 

According to Mohd Faiz, other issues to be discussed during the APR will include the South China Sea, the situation in West Asia, tariffs, energy shortages, and how far we are moving on artificial intelligence issues.

He said the APR's continued growth demonstrates its enduring relevance, noting that this year's edition has attracted about 400 participants from 30 countries, compared with just 30 to 40 participants when it was first held 39 years ago.

Building on previous themes of interregnum and recalibration, the 39th APR focuses its deliberations on “Accelerating agency and action” and seeks to to identify regional catalysts and leadership amidst complex geopolitical fluctuations. The three-day roundtable is a signature international conference of ISIS Malaysia and will run until July 2.

At its core, the APR is a Southeast Asian conference discussing key issues impacting the Asia-Pacific. It is one of the region’s premier Track 2 gatherings, ranking among the world’s top 20 strategic-security-focused conferences.   

It is convened by ISIS Malaysia on behalf of ASEAN-ISIS, which is a network of leading Southeast Asian policy institutes and think-tanks.

APR regularly attracts more than 300 thinkers who engage in lively, frank, and constructive conversations on issues shaping the security, stability, sustainability, and prosperity of the region. It aims to provide insights into how businesses and governments could navigate an increasingly complex strategic landscape. 

-- BERNAMA