Cabinet & Succession: Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah announced a major cabinet reshuffle on June 4, creating new portfolios and appointing two younger sons as ministers—Prince Abdul Malik to the Prime Minister’s Office and Prince Abdul Mateen as foreign minister—while the Sultan retains key roles as PM, defence and finance, in a move widely read as succession planning ahead of his diamond jubilee. Defence Modernisation: Brunei also consented to the creation of a Special Operations Command to coordinate special operations across the RBAF Special Forces Regiment and other tiered special forces units, aligning defence policy with regional and global developments. Digital Governance: The Digital Brunei Council released Digital Brunei 2030, a five-year national masterplan to guide the country’s digital transformation through 2030, consolidating digital government, society, business, and a cross-cutting data and AI strategy. Blue Economy & Ocean Policy: Ocean Week Brunei 2026 was launched with a month-long programme under “Ocean of Opportunities,” pushing blue economy growth, marine conservation, and community livelihoods. Regional Energy Context: A separate report highlights how energy shocks and regional cooperation are shaping Borneo and ASEAN energy planning, with Brunei mentioned in cross-border collaboration.