The 21st Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, Asia’s premier Security Summit, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), took place in Singapore from 31 May to 2 June 2024.
The Dialogue brings together Defence Ministers, Military Chiefs, and High-Ranking Officials from around the world to discuss urgent security challenges, to exchange views on the most significant security issues faced in the Asia Pacific Region and promote international cooperation. The summit was attended by representatives from 45 countries, with 49 ministerial-level delegates, over 40 senior defence officials and esteemed academics. Sri Lanka was represented at the summit by the Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore Senerath Dissanayaka.
The Summit began on 31 May with a Keynote address delivered by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. Special lectures were delivered by the President-Elect and Minister for Defence of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 1 and 2 June, 2024 respectively. The plenary sessions covered a wide range of geo-political issues including building cooperative security in the Asia Pacific, enhancing crisis management amid rising competition, connecting the Indian ocean and Pacific security, the United States’ Strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and China's approach to global security among others.
During the security summit, the Sri Lankan delegation participated in several sessions and discussions, highlighting Sri Lanka’s commitment to regional security and cooperation. Additionally, Sri Lankan delegation held bilateral meetings with counterparts from the Netherlands and the United States to strengthen partnerships and explore new opportunities for collaboration. The focus of the meetings was on improving defence and security cooperation, particularly in the maritime safety, security, and sustainability as well as joint training exercises, and capacity-building.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
Singapore
07 June 2024
