A three-day National Security Symposium bringing together Students of Senior Command and Staff Course second intake, senior government officials and experts from various sectors opened at Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College in Musanze District yesterday.

The symposium, which is an annual event, at the College seeks to address security challenges and complement the knowledge acquired by the students during the one-year course, according to Brig Gen Charles Karamba, the College commandant.

Defence minister James Kabarebe said national security is a pillar for national development.

Countries, he said, engage in diplomatic and security cooperation to address common security threats. 

He, however, said African countries are experiencing security threats as a result of negative forces that have been targeting civilian populations, thus affecting development.

He cited FDLR militia, ADF/NALU, Al-Shabab, Boko Haram among the negative forces causing havoc on the continent.

"This security symposium is, therefore, an opportunity to engage in academic and practical real life security issues that affect our profession,” Kabarebe said.

He said it was also an opportunity to bring together security officials, academics, journalists as well as security analysts.

"By the end of the symposium, you will have gained clear understanding of the geo-political nature of contemporary security challenges on our continent,” he said.

Kabarebe spoke about security and stability in Great Lakes Region and highlighted  the consequences of insecurity.

He blamed colonialism for most of Africa’s problems, including conflict, ethnicity, and divisionism, among others.

The symposium was organised under the theme: "Contemporary Security challenges, the African perspective.”

The course attracted 46 senior military officers from Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Brig. Gen. Joseph Nzabamwita, the Defence and Military spokesperson, said the forum was in line with the officer students roles.