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New Director for Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies Named
HONOLULU –The Department of Defense has approved the selection of retired US Army Maj. Gen. Suzanne (Suzy) Puanani Vares-Lum as director of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS), a Department of Defense organization dedicated to advancing security cooperation in the region. Vares-Lum was born and raised in Hawaiʻi and is an alumna of the Center’s Transnational Security Cooperation course (TSC16-2). She is the first native Hawaiian and the first alumni to serve as the Center’s director. She comes to the Center after serving as President of the East-West Center since 2022. As a retired major general with 34 years of service, Vares-Lum has held key roles addressing priority national security challenges in the region. She brings a wealth of executive leadership experience, including five years serving with and advising the senior officials at US Indo-Pacific Command, where she cultivated and supported key relationships with nations throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Dialogue Episode 30 | Conflict’s End in Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine grinds on with no clear resolution in sight, the international community faces mounting pressure to explore pathways toward ending the conflict. Ukraine’s uncertain future was the focus of Episode 30 of Dialogue, “Conflict’s End in Ukraine,” where DKI APCSS professor Dr. James Minnich discussed these dynamics with Dr. Marzena Żakowska, an assistant professor and lecturer at the Faculty of National Security at War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland.
Dialogue | Episode 31: Indo-Pacific Underwater Competition
Dive deep into the future of underwater competition with leading experts from around the globe! This webinar unites five specialists from Korea, the United States, and India to explore the critical challenges and emerging technologies in underwater competition, maritime domain awareness, seabed warfare, and the protection of vital submarine cables.
A Climate Resilience Toolkit for Security in Big Ocean Small State Islands
The paper discusses a foresight tabletop exercise that explored how rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and climate variability could impact BOSS islands such as the Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles. Through the analysis of three future climate scenarios, the exercise produced 34 policy recommendations aimed at enhancing adaptive capacity in areas such as governance, infrastructure, and international cooperation. The recommendations also highlight the need for resilient infrastructure, financial mechanisms, and ecosystem-based management.
