We are pleased to announce that His Excellency Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, will deliver the Keynote Address at this year’s IISS Shangri-La Dialogue.
His Excellency Tô Lâm will deliver the Keynote Address at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, which will take place in Singapore between 29 and 31 May 2026.
He will deliver his remarks on Friday 29 May 2026 to mark the opening of the 23rd edition of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence summit.
The Dialogue brings together defence ministers, military leaders and senior defence officials, as well as business leaders and security experts, from across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond to discuss critical security challenges.
Dr Bastian Giegerich, IISS Director-General and Chief Executive, said, ‘His Excellency Tô Lâm takes up the presidency of Viet Nam at a time of enormous global turbulence, the ripple effects of which are being felt across the Asia-Pacific. In his very first weeks in office, he has made a commitment to share Viet Nam’s perspectives as an emerging strategic powerhouse and to engage with leading global defence policymakers. We are honoured that he has chosen the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue as the platform to do this.’
Last year’s Keynote Address was delivered by President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron. Other previous keynote speakers have included India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The Dialogue will once again take place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. The IISS expects to host more than 550 delegates from the defence and security establishments of more than 40 nations around the world.
Further announcements about individual speakers will be made closer to the event.
