Military forces are generally regarded as the first respondents to deal with in any crisis situation that takes place in the country. Due to the nature and the extended connectivity of non-traditional security threats, a solution to today’s problems could not be found within the national boundaries of a single state. Hence, the collective efforts of many nations is required. Collective engagement and a range of policy instruments are necessary to respond to these challenges effectively. This broadened concept of security has in turn influenced how countries presently view national safety, said Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, delivering the welcome address at the Defence Seminar 2018, under the theme ‘Security in an era of global disruption.’
The ‘Colombo Defence Seminar - 2018’ organised by the Sri Lanka Army for the 8th consecutive year, commenced at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), with the participation of many foreign participants from across the globe.
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, highlighted the importance of broadening horizons of knowledge on defence and challenges that prevail among all nations across the world.
He said the presence of such a large gathering of friends across oceans, signified the values those nations had placed on our relationship. “During the past seven years, the Defence Seminar has evolved into a round table of intellectual interaction to identify and discuss geostrategic and security matters in global, regional and internal context as well.”
“This broadened discourse focused on the scope of security and its challenges, would certainly generate a forum that would stimulate critical thinking and geostrategic security matters.
“These carefully articulated themes would analyze emerging threats and disruptions, for which the armed forces are the first to respond in any land. It also provides a platform which could shed light on geostrategic security concerns,” he said, welcoming the delegates to the two day conference.
The Army Commander said that he hoped this Defence Seminar forum would set the stage to provide better understanding to derive cooperative and collaborative options. He noted that the two day seminar would set the stage for active discussions to simulate critical thinking on the theme and a global network of defence partners would take part in crucial discussions towards formulating a collective and assertive approach to repel security threats on nations.
The day’s programme commenced with the lighting of the traditional oil lamp by Chief Guest Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, Secretary to the President Udaya Seneviratne, Defence Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne, Secretary to the Foreign Ministry Prasad Kariyawasam, Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy, IGP Pujith Jayasundara, and Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake.
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