'Colombo Security Conclave' further promotes region's maritime security
August 05, 2021The 5th Deputy National Security Advisors’ (DNSA) Level virtual meeting, ‘Colombo Security Conclave’ (CSC), related to the region's maritime security was held yesterday (Aug 4) at the Army Headquarters with the participation of top level security officials from India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sources said the CSC was first initiated by HE the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2011 as the forum for Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation among India, Maldives and Sri Lanka when he was serving as the Secretary of Defence to the Ministry of Defence.
Chief of Defence Staff, Army Commander and Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Gen. Shavendra Silva together with a representative group of Tri-Service Officers represented the forum.
The forum largely focused on the security of regional maritime operations, prevention of smuggling of contraband, sea piracy, threat perceptions, close trilateral cooperation for further enhancement of security concerns, mitigation of illegal activities in the seas, etc., the Army said.
Current security measures, provisions, use of latest technology, bilateral cooperation and effectiveness and sustainability of such security measures among nations in the region, etc. have been discussed during the session.
Further, the views were exchanged and experiences shared among the nations that could further enhance trilateral cooperation for the betterment of the region and trilateral joint operations, the Army further said.
The sessions were attended by SLA’s Chief of Staff (COS) , Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) COS, Sri Lanka Navy’s (SLN) Deputy COS, Director General (DG) Sri Lanka Coast Guard, SLNDG - Operations, SLAF Southern Air Commander, Chief Signal Officer-SLA, Director Information Technology-SLAF, DG Operations - SLA, Secretary to the Virtual Meeting, Representative from the Defence Ministry, DG of SA & SAARC Division Foreign Ministry Sri Lanka, Deputy Director of SA & SAARC Division Foreign Ministry Sri Lanka, Director Human Trafficking Human Smuggling & Maritime Crimes of CID and - Deputy Director/State Intelligence Service Sri Lanka Police.
