Minister of Defence officially opens National Security Symposium 2019

Musanze, 13 May 2019

Minister of Defence Maj Gen Albert Murasira today opened the seventh National Security Symposium hosted by Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College (RDFCSC) in Musanze District.

At the three-day seminar, students of the Senior Command and Staff Course (SCSC) will benefit from interactive discussions as they carry out their various research undertakings at the college and most importantly, to understand the dynamics and complex operating environment as they deploy at home and beyond their borders as part of peacekeeping mission. The selected panelists will give their expert views, opinions and proposed solutions before moderators involve students and the wider audience to make contributions and ask questions.

Opening the symposium, Minister of Defence Maj Gen Murasira noted that discussions will focus on security challenges facing nation states, particularly on the African continent to include issues such as youth distension and unemployment, vulnerability of civilians in conflict areas and then need for the need for a strategy to protect them from harm; expansion of terrorism and cyber threats on the continent to mention but a few.

“The consequences of these and more threats tend to affect all of us in different ways and proportions. It is therefore important that we work together in a multi-dimensional context which covers national, international as well as inter-agency engagements,” said Maj Gen Murasira.

This year, the college selected topics of discussion that touch varied areas of contemporary security such as Power Dynamics Between Russia, China and the Western World: Implications on Security and Development in Africa, Building Defence Capabilities in Africa; A Precursor for an Independent Africa: Strategies, Challenges and Way Forward, and Cyber Terrorism; A Threat to National Security: Deterrent Measures and Mitigating Strategies to mention but a few.

The SCSC intake 07 is composed of 47 Senior Officers (Major to Lt Colonel) students from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.