Are non-traditional security challenges leading regional organizations towards greater convergence?

Abstract

How are regional organizations responding to the emergence of nontraditional security (NTS) challenges? Are they engaging in more cooperative efforts to meet new threats? Or, on the contrary, do they react in different manners according to their distinctive values, principles and internal structures? This article attempts to investigate how the threats posed by NTS are compelling different regional organizations to reconsider their security thinking and to find new innovative ways of cooperation. This is done by comparing two diverse regional organizations, the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whose models of security cooperation have significantly varied reflecting the preference for different security approaches. The EU's security system has been more formalized and institutionalized; conversely, the "ASEAN way" has traditionally been rooted in the principles of informality and consensus. It is argued, however, that the emergence of NTS threats is acting as a catalyst behind a normative and operational shift of the modus operandi of both organizations. In so doing, this empirical analysis will try to shed light on the effects of exogenous factors on the emergence of patterns of convergence within the security sphere of distinctive regional processes.

Health and security nexus in Southeast Asia: Collective securitisation

“…Some state and non-state players tend to move to regional and multilevel connections in the quest of responding to the NTS (Caballero-Anthony, Cook, Chng, & Balen, 2013). Multilateral action has been identified as the most effective way to deal with a new source of threats, mainly through the authority of regional institutions (Pennisi di Floristella, 2012;Zimmerman, 2014).…”

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) as a Non-traditional Security Issue in ASEAN: Vietnam’s Interests and Policies

“…In Asia, NTS has been taken seriously. Its place on the regional policy agenda is often traced to the joint communiqué of the 6 th summit between ASEAN and China, which included references to "trafficking in illegal drugs, people-smuggling including trafficking in women and children, sea piracy, terrorism, arms-smuggling, moneylaundering, international economic crime and cyber crime" 4 Southeast Asian countries, with their own historic and development characters, have recently stepped up cooperation on NTS issues such as transnational crime, illegal migration, maritime piracy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In addition to providing an overview of NTS issues in Southeast Asia, this thesis argues that the region's historic and geographic characters have shaped ASEAN members' security concerns.…”

“…13 (3), p.358. 4 Joint Declaration of ASEAN and China on Cooperation in the Field of Non-traditional Security Issues, 6 th ASEAN-China Summit, Phnom Penh, 4 November 2002, retrieved from http://www.vifindia.org/document/2002/joint-declaration-of-asean-and-china-on-cooperation-in-the-fieldof-non-traditional-security-issues assistance and disaster relief (HADR) is one of the topics that has enjoyed the most activities and attention.…”

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) as a Non-traditional Security Issue in ASEAN: Vietnam’s Interests and Policies

“…In Asia, NTS has been taken seriously. Its place on the regional policy agenda is often traced to the joint communiqué of the 6 th summit between ASEAN and China, which included references to "trafficking in illegal drugs, people-smuggling including trafficking in women and children, sea piracy, terrorism, arms-smuggling, moneylaundering, international economic crime and cyber crime" 4 Southeast Asian countries, with their own historic and development characters, have recently stepped up cooperation on NTS issues such as transnational crime, illegal migration, maritime piracy, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In addition to providing an overview of NTS issues in Southeast Asia, this thesis argues that the region's historic and geographic characters have shaped ASEAN members' security concerns.…”

“…13 (3), p.358. 4 Joint Declaration of ASEAN and China on Cooperation in the Field of Non-traditional Security Issues, 6 th ASEAN-China Summit, Phnom Penh, 4 November 2002, retrieved from http://www.vifindia.org/document/2002/joint-declaration-of-asean-and-china-on-cooperation-in-the-fieldof-non-traditional-security-issues assistance and disaster relief (HADR) is one of the topics that has enjoyed the most activities and attention.…”