A high-level delegation from the Institute for Security Governance (ISG), USA, accompanied by representatives from the United States Embassy, met with the Acting Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) at his office in Colombo on Wednesday (Jan 15).
On a separate occasion, the ISG delegation also met Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) on the same day at the Ministry of Defence in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte.
The ISG is an entity within the U.S. Department of Defence that plays a vital role in evaluating, reviewing and developing ongoing Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) projects with personnel from the Sri Lanka military, including the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, National Defence College, Kothelawala Defence University and Defence Services Command and Staff College.
The delegation led by the Regional Program Leader (Indo-Pacific Region) Michael Rembold included Sri Lanka Country Program Coordinator (CPC) Matt Ashley, Deputy CPC, Daniel Simpson, Subject Matter Expert and Team Lead for the Ministry of Defence effort, Oscar De Soto, Defence Attaché of US Embassy in Colombo Col. Tony Nelson and Chief of the Office of Defence Cooperation in the US Embassy in Colombo, Cdr Sean Lin.
The discussions underscored the collaborative efforts between ISG and Sri Lankan counterparts, fostering trust and mutual understanding. This collaborative environment has yielded valuable insights into Sri Lanka’s defence priorities and decision-making processes, thereby laying a strong foundation for the development of more substantial partnerships in the future.
Deliberations also included the interests in future collaborative efforts emphasizing the shared commitment to regional stability and security. These meetings underscored the enduring partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States in fostering mutual growth and understanding in the defence sector.
