Sri Lanka Hosts 7th International Defence Attachés Course in
Collaboration with GCSP
May 15, 2025
The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence in Sri Lanka (MOD), launched the 7th International Defence Attachés Course on May 14 at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Colombo. The one-week long programme which brings together participants from over 35 countries, will run from 14 to 21 May 2025.
The course is part of GCSP’s global initiative, also held in Switzerland, Senegal (in French), Jordan, Mongolia, and Kenya, with the aim of strengthening international cooperation in defence diplomacy and security policy. Funded by the Swiss Ministry of Defence (DDPS), the course targets officials engaged in defence and security-related international relations.
Focusing on practical aspects of security policy, the evolving diplomatic environment, and the multifaceted role of Defence Attachés, this year’s extended curriculum integrates recent developments in Europe and the Middle East.
The comprehensive training fully covers the core responsibilities of Defence Attachés, ensuring participants gain critical competencies relevant to bilateral and multilateral defence diplomacy. Designed for newly appointed or prospective Defence Attachés, diplomats, and officials from the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, this course emphasizes the development of diplomatic, strategic, and intercultural skills essential for global security cooperation.
The methodology includes a rich blend of academic lectures, practitioner-led sessions, simulation exercises, and field visits. Its interactive format encourages knowledge sharing and analytical development in real-time security scenarios. The event also underscores the country’s growing role in promoting regional and global defence diplomacy and strategic dialogue.
Foreign coordinators and participants representing different countries, Sri Lankan officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Employment & Tourism, and the Ministry of Defence, together with senior officers of the Tri-Forces, were also present at the occasion.
