Multi-sectoral integration and preparedness are fundamental to ASEAN’s biosecurity and health security strategy. Reflective of its importance, the first commitment of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration is to “strengthen the multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination and cooperation on biosafety and biosecurity at the national level.” Discussions reinforced the necessity of breaking down sectoral silos to establish a coordinated and effective response to biological threats. A “whole-of-government” approach was highlighted, integrating public health, animal health, and environmental health with key non-health sectors such as defence, foreign affairs, law enforcement, finance, education, and agriculture. This comprehensive strategy will ensure that biological threats, regardless of their origin, are addressed through a unified, cross-sectoral response.
ADSOM representatives recognized the essential role of defence and security agencies in health security efforts. The armed forces’ capabilities in emergency medical response (including military medicine), crisis logistics, and outbreak containment were identified as critical assets in ASEAN’s preparedness efforts. Defence and security agencies also play a crucial role in safeguarding critical health infrastructure, including biosafety laboratories, vaccine storage facilities, and border health checkpoints, ensuring that public health assets remain secure and functional during emergencies.
Moreover, the discussions underscored the importance of SOM’s involvement with ASEAN’s political engagement on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), as well as complementary mechanisms such as the UNSGM and the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (in which the Philippines is the only ASEAN member). By strengthening cooperation between health, defence, and foreign affairs sectors, ASEAN aims to build a more resilient and responsive health security framework that aligns with global biosecurity standards and enhances regional stability.
Discussions highlighted the increasing complexity of the biological threat landscape, emphasizing the need for greater security sector involvement to address the deliberate misuse of biological agents, vulnerabilities associated with emerging technologies like synthetic biology and artificial intelligence, and gaps in crisis response mechanisms. Given these concerns, strengthening collaboration between health, defence, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies was recognized as imperative for enhancing threat detection, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness. Despite existing inter-agency collaborations within ASEAN Member States, the absence of formalized mechanisms often weakens the effectiveness of joint responses. To address this, the establishment of high-level committees with clear mandates, structured coordination frameworks, and dedicated security sector engagement was proposed to enhance regional preparedness. Furthermore, institutionalizing cooperation through well-defined policies, intelligence-sharing protocols, and capacity-building initiatives will be essential to strengthening ASEAN’s resilience against biosecurity threats. By fostering a culture of sustained multi-sectoral engagement, ASEAN can improve its ability to prevent, detect, and respond to biological risks, ensuring a more integrated and adaptive security framework that aligns with both regional and global biosecurity efforts.
Integrating agro-crime and agro-terror considerations into ASEAN’s biosecurity framework also requires a multi-sectoral approach that aligns agricultural policies with national security and public health strategies. Agro-crime, such as illegal livestock trade and the smuggling of contaminated agricultural products, facilitates the spread of zoonotic diseases, disrupts supply chains, and undermines consumer trust. Agro-terror, involving the intentional introduction of biological agents into food and livestock systems, poses severe risks to food security, economic stability, and public health. Given the increasing complexity of transboundary threats, ASEAN must adopt a coordinated strategy between agriculture, health, security, law enforcement, and the private sector. A robust response must include strengthening veterinary oversight through enhanced disease surveillance and early detection systems, improving traceability mechanisms, conducting risk assessments, and reinforcing border controls and biosafety protocols. Conducting joint training programs and simulation exercises between veterinary services, law enforcement, and national security agencies will also improve cross-sector coordination in responding to biological threats. By embedding these considerations into broader multi-sectoral preparedness efforts, ASEAN can mitigate the threat of agro-terrorism and agro-crime.
To strengthen ASEAN’s biosecurity and health security efforts, it is critical to incorporate law enforcement agencies into the regional coordination framework. Law enforcement provides vital expertise in securing borders, investigating criminal activities, and preventing the misuse of biological materials. Moreover, law enforcement agencies can enhance the detection and enforcement of regulations related to biosecurity at ports, borders, and other critical entry points. Expanding collaboration with law enforcement will allow for more effective surveillance, intelligence sharing, and the development of timely and coordinated responses to biological threats. Law enforcement can help ensure compliance with biosecurity protocols, assist in managing the movement of potentially contaminated goods or animals, and support the enforcement of quarantine measures. Furthermore, the integration of law enforcement into planning and crisis management exercises will ensure that responses are legally sound, operationally effective, and well-coordinated. Through such collaboration, ASEAN can strengthen its multi-sectoral preparedness, improve security, and enhance regional resilience against emerging health and biosecurity risks.
To address these challenges, the dialogue proposed practical steps such as joint training exercises, shared risk assessments, and the development of integrated preparedness plans. Demonstrating the value of multi-sectoral approaches was deemed critical, especially in engaging sectors that may not traditionally view themselves as part of the biosecurity landscape. By focusing on concrete, achievable actions and showcasing early successes, ASEAN aims to build momentum for deeper and broader integration, ultimately creating a more resilient and cohesive regional response to biological threats and public health emergencies.