Kigali, 17 May 2023

The tenth National Security Symposium 2023 jointly organized by Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College (RDFCSC) and the University of Rwanda (UR) has officially opened at Kigali Convention Centre.

The symposium brought together academicians, government officials, diplomats and subject matter experts including Generals and Senior Military Officers to discuss contemporary security issues with a theme: “Contemporary Security Challenges: The African Perspective”.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Defence Maj Gen Albert Murasira emphasised that over the years, National Security Symposium has widened participants’ understanding and perspectives by listening to diverse views from policy makers, practitioners and scholars.

“This year's symposium provides an opportunity to discuss complex challenges facing the globe in general and our continent in particular. Such challenges range from building institutions and capacities for good governance; migration; emerging digital technologies; evaluate African initiatives to address some of our perennial challenges; foreign interference and the future of peacekeeping operations. The complex situation creates uncertainty to the functioning and survival of our nations and no single country can address them solely,” said Maj Gen Murasira.

The symposium discussions will cover a variety of topics ranging from good governance, migration and brain drain, foreign interference, the African Free Trade Area, digital technologies and peacekeeping operations.

Over 300 participants are sharing experience on the subjects above. They include student officers of the Senior Command and Staff Course from Rwanda and allied countries namely Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.