Bridging the Capacity Gap on AI and Cybercrime: Empowering Stakeholders for a Secure Digital Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia stands at a critical juncture, grappling with the rapid expansion of digital technologies while simultaneously facing a growing threat landscape. The GFCE Southeast Asia regional meeting aimed to address this pressing challenge by fostering a robust dialogue on building regional cybersecurity capacity and exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in combating cybercrime.

Aligned with the GFCE’s overarching goal, this gathering prioritized capacity building at all levels. By focusing on the unique needs and challenges of Southeast Asia, the event sought to strengthen the region’s cybersecurity defenses collectively. Moreover, the integration of AI into the cybersecurity discourse underscored its potential as a powerful tool in the fight against cybercrime. Through open and collaborative discussions, participants explored innovative strategies and solutions to fortify the region’s digital infrastructure and protect its citizens from emerging cyber threats.

The event will brought together ASEAN member states and other stakeholders in the region, in person in Singapore, to reflect on the evolution of the cybercrime landscape in the region and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in combating cybercrime and bridging the existing workforce capacity gap. The meeting also served to engage with regional stakeholders on activities of the SEA GFCE regional hub.

The half-day regional meeting took place at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore and back-to-back with the Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW).

The Southeast Asia Regional Meeting that took place on October 17^th, 2023, focused on Catalysing Cyber Synergy: Empowering Southeast Asia’s Digital Future. The regional meeting served as an essential platform for ASEAN Member States and other stakeholders in the region to gather and discuss cyber capacity building needs and best practices. This regional meeting focused on strengthening collaboration; identifying country-specific cyber priorities; fostering cyber expertise exchange; encouraging cyber capacity building; promoting regional cybersecurity cooperation; and facilitating digital transformation.   

The meeting was held in partnership with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore during Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW). 

The focus was on the UN development agenda and the role of the region in it, as well as the Southeast Asia cyber capacity building landscape more generally. 

It was great to see that members of the GFCE Community in attendance at the SICW participated in the Southeast Asia regional meeting. 

During SICW, Singapore’s Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr. Teo Chee Hean, announced the creation of a GFCE Southeast Asia liaison who will connect the region and ASCCE’s existing efforts more closely with other GFCE members and partners including GFCE Liaisons and Hubs from other regions. 

The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE), in collaboration with Cyber Security Agency (CSA) Singapore, held the inaugural GFCE Southeast Asia Regional Meeting in October 2021 in the margins of Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) 2021. This regional meeting brought together over 90 stakeholders from the GFCE community and ASEAN to identify opportunities and challenges for cyber capacity-building in the region and share good practices and knowledge.