Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 09:36 AM

Indonesia, Australia strengthen ASEAN public space security framework

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Agatha Olivia, Tegar Nurfitra

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), in collaboration with the Australian government, has initiated the formulation of a training curriculum to help ASEAN countries strengthen the security and resilience of public spaces and critical infrastructure.

“The guidelines are expected to serve as a strategic reference for ASEAN countries in bolstering collective security,” BNPT Deputy for International Cooperation Dionisius Elvan Swasono noted in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He emphasized that stronger collective efforts among Southeast Asian nations are becoming increasingly important in responding to the evolving tactics of terrorist groups.

Indonesia and Australia began developing a curriculum to strengthen public security capacity, following the ASEAN–Australia Counter-Terrorism Practical Exchange on Good Practice Approaches to Protect Crowded Spaces, Vulnerable Targets, and Critical Infrastructure.

Indonesia hosted the workshop in Bali in late July to step up bilateral ties while providing a strategic venue for ASEAN member states to exchange best practices and views with Australia on measures to tackle increasingly complex threats of terrorism that have transcended borders.

The event brought together 102 representatives from ASEAN countries, Australia, the ASEAN Secretariat, the United Nations, community organizations, academics, sports federations, and the private sector.

BNPT leveraged the forum to reaffirm Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening its counterterrorism capacity through diplomacy and international collaboration while contributing to fostering a more resilient Southeast Asia.

Australian Ambassador for Counterterrorism Gemma Huggins spoke highly of Canberra’s partnership on regional security with ASEAN.

She agreed that it is in the best interests of Australia and Southeast Asian nations to collaborate on forward-looking initiatives to better adapt to terrorism threats to public spaces, vulnerable sites, and critical infrastructure.

Huggins visited the BNPT headquarters in Jakarta in April 2026 to discuss cooperation on combating online radicalization and terrorism financing.

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