The APTERR Secretariat and Brunei Darussalam with the support of the Asian Development Bank-Technical Assistance (ADB-TA) consultant successfully concluded a meeting on 14 August 2025 in Bandar Seri Begwan to finalise the ‘Concept Paper for the APTERR Tabletop Exercise (TTX).’ Initiated by Brunei, this initiative aims to further strengthen the APTERR mechanism, ensuring more effective and efficient food emergency response to emerging megatrends that threaten food security in the region.
The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Brunei and attended by representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) of Brunei, the ADB-TA consultant and the APTERR Secretariat.
The participants included representatives from the MOFA: Ms. Siti Norliana Hj Mosli, Assistant Director, and Ms. Bazielah Nabelah Hj Mohd Derin Lee, Research Officer, MPRT: Mr. Abuzar Haji Md Tahir, Acting Director and APTERR Council, Ms. Khairunnisa Haji Omar Ali, Acting Assistant Director, and Mr. Sheikh Mohd Radzi Sheikh Adnan, Head of Rice Industry Section, ADB-TA consultant, Dr. Lourdes Adriano, and the APTERR Secretariat: Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn, General Manager, Mr. Aro Kasakawa, Japanese Expert, Ms. Jansinee Kankaew, Head of Implementation and Ms. Nattavadee Sraprathum, Technical Staff for FEMI.
Since the concept paper was presented at the 13th APTERR Council Meeting in Japan this February and later discussed at the Working Meeting in Bangkok in April, the APTERR Secretariat with a support from ADB-TA teams worked closely with Brunei Darussalam to refine it. Dr. Choomjet emphasised that the TTX will serve as a foundation for building a regional platform where the various stakeholders can exchange insights and develop policy recommendations to enhance collective food security.
With Brunei Darusalam’s initiative, the TTX will provide an opportunity to review and discuss key APTERR mechanism through a comprehensive simulation involving multiple stakeholders. This will assess the effectiveness and efficiency of APTERR mechanism in response to food crisis arising from global challenges, such as climate change, economic volatility, and geopolitical conflicts, while advancing our shared goal of strengthening food security during emergencies.
The Tabletop Exercise will be held in Brunei Darussalam around November-December 2025.
