Colombo defence seminar to focus on tech-driven security threats

By Shanika Sriyananda 

Various security issues faced by states, including technological disruptions, cyber conflicts and challenges posed by social media, will be the focus of the latest edition of the Colombo Defence Seminar, a top official said yesterday.     

At a media briefing held to announce SLA’s preparation to hold the ‘Colombo Defence Seminar - 2018’, the Army Chief said over 800 foreign and local participants were expected, including 13 foreign and 14 local speakers.

This year’s seminar will be held under the theme of ‘Security in an Era of Global Disruptions’ and will be held at the BMICH from 30-31 August. All Army chiefs in the SAARC region have also been invited for the two-day sessions.

“This year’s topic, ‘Security in an Era of Global Disruptions’, underlines the importance of contemporaneous security issues that appear to be increasingly interconnected and unpredictable in the wake of a multitude of threats looming large against respective statecraft and national security concerns,” Lt. Gen. Senanayake said.

The seminar, which will be held for the eighth consecutive year, will have discussions on several important themes including ‘Demographic Transformation and Implications on Security’, ‘Technological Disruptions’, ‘Human-Induced Climate Change’ and ‘Political Extremism’ themes with a close focus on ‘Human Factors and Homeland Security’, ‘Global Challenge of Internal Displacement’, ‘Urban Security in the 21st Century’, ‘Cyber Conflicts and Future Power’, ‘Social Media and Authenticity: Global Security Challenges’, ‘Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Weapons’,  ‘Climate Geo-Engineering: Challenges and Opportunities’, ‘Ideological Polarization’, ‘Destabilizing the International System’, ‘Diaspora Communities Amidst and Conflict’, ‘Climate Change: Future of Warfare’ and ‘Leadership in Mitigating Violent Extremism.’

President Maithripala Sirisena will be the Chief Guest and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe will deliver the keynote address.

The host of distinguished invitees and contributors to the seminar will include high commissioners, chiefs of defence staff, commanders, security advisers, foreign secretary, senior lecturers, directors, senior researchers, senior tri-service officers, political advisers, undersecretaries, administrators, telecom experts, analysts on terrorism and scholars representing more than 38 countries.

Representatives from Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, Chile, Canada, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Kenya, Korea, Maldives, Mozambique, Netherland, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, the UK, Ukraine, the US, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe have so far confirmed their participation.

“The US will send three high ranking military officials for the first time for this seminar, while India and China will also send their top military officials,” Lt. Gen. Senanayake revealed.

He also noted that the military had the capacity to foster reconciliation by engaging with moderate diaspora groups and improving understanding between different minority-focused stakeholders.