SINGAPORE, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Risk Assessment and Horizon Scanning Program is useful not just in the traditional security domains, but also help a networked government to think systematically about issues involving economic and financial conditions, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar said on Monday.

    Speaking at a symposium in Singapore, Jayakumar, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, said, "More recently, we have also been reminded of how uncertain and inter-connected the world is today by issues such as global warming, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, rising oil and commodities prices, food shortages and collapse of financial institutions."

    He added, "Another important element is that for the Risk Assessment and Horizon Scanning Program (RAHS) to work well, collaboration is critical. Agencies cannot be working in silos and examining issues in a compartmentalized way. RAHS requires horizontal collaboration and sharing of information across agencies."

    Singapore embarked on the program on risk assessment and horizon scanning in 2005, now it has an active outreach program with the three local universities.

    Jayakumar said this has helped expose the country's next generation students to strategic anticipation and planning.

    The program has been used by university students to analyze the supply chain for agricultural commodities at the Singapore Management University (SMU), the Asian Financial Crisis at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and global food and multi-lateral security issues at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

    The two-day symposium aims to raise awareness of the importance of risk assessment and horizon scanning to address challenges in an increasingly complex and uncertain environment.