Colombo, March 5 – The Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation Bernard Goonetilleke on Thursday formally launched the “ Pathfinder Proposal for a National Security Strategy for Sri Lanka.”
The NSS document suggests a comprehensive security strategy covering not just the military aspect but all aspects of a country’s life including political, economic, administrative, developmental, human rights and diplomacy in the neighbourhood and beyond.
The NSS urges government to ensure the urgent replacement of the Prevention of Terrorism Act with an effective alternative legislation that complies with international human rights instruments to which Sri Lanka is a State Party.
Sri Lanka should develop and implement proactive policies to counter radicalisation whilst strengthening community engagement, thereby preventing evolving terrorist threats.
It should enact a new Constitution that reforms the executive, ensures ethnic harmony, and upholds the rule of law and implement transitional justice.
Sri Lanka should enhance maritime law enforcement by expanding joint patrols and cooperative security frameworks with regional and extra-regional naval forces. It should strengthen partnerships with key littoral maritime nations and multilateral organisations to enhance Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities.
The NSS seeks enhancement of port security and customs enforcement. Government should evolve environmental regulations, coordinate across institutions, and address maritime pollution.
It should foster collaboration in oceanography, climate resilience, and disaster risk management besides establishing frameworks for cooperation in the blue economy.
Sri Lanka needs to establish dedicated protocols and patrol units to monitor and secure the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Sri Lanka’s diplomatic engagement at bilateral, multilateral and regional forums needs to be strengthened. It should continue collaboration with like-minded states to uphold international law.
Investment in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies to anticipate and respond to emerging threats is needed. There needs to be a strengthening of foresight capabilities through improved cyber intelligence, data analytics, and early warning systems developed in collaboration with regional partners.
Sri Lanka should enter bilateral and plurilateral preferential integration agreements aligned with the country’s trade and economic interests. It should strengthen cross-border trade facilitation measures to remove barriers to the free flow of trade and improve the ease of doing business.
There is a need to increase transparency in negotiating external economic and financial agreements, including parliamentary oversight.
Investment in renewable energy is needed. Government should grant incentives to boost domestic manufacturing, including high-value exports.
Government should strengthen whistleblower protection laws, conduct regular audits of government expenditure and revise the public service recruitment procedure to ensure meritocracy.
Developing and implementing a robust national cyber policy is essential to safeguard critical information infrastructure, enhance cyber resilience, and counter state- and non-state sponsored cyber threats.
Government should establish a national AI task force that brings together the government, academia, and private-sector stakeholders to develop a legal and operational framework for AI use.
Sri Lanka should prioritise establishment of grid connectivity with the South Asian network to enable two-way power trade, incorporating energy storage solutions.
Government should give priority to the long-term renewable energy strategy, encourage energy efficiency in industries, businesses, and households through regulatory measures and awareness campaigns.
Government should strengthen social safety nets by introducing long term livelihood development programmes for vulnerable households.
Steps should be taken to strengthen research and development in climate resilient crop varieties, promote value-added agricultural exports, and develop a robust and resilient food production system and food storage infrastructure. The government should develop modern irrigation infrastructure, particularly in drought-prone regions, to reduce reliance on unpredictable rainfall by adopting water-efficient techniques such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting.
Steps should be taken to develop a strategic plan for the rehabilitation of the ancient irrigation network
Sri Lanka should strengthen coastal infrastructure, including seawalls and mangrove reforestation projects, to support environmental protection and seek international cooperation to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Sri Lanka should drive regional climate diplomacy through platforms such as BIMSTEC, IORA, and SAARC to coordinate disaster-resilience strategies, water resource sharing, and regional carbon finance initiatives.
Sri Lanka should enhance the rural education infrastructure and human capital resources including vocational training and skills development programmes. It should upgrade classroom facilities by integrating digital learning tools.
Protection against gender-based violence and discrimination in the workplace have to be ensure. And finally, all activities should be monitored, revised and course corrections effected.
Finally, the responsibility for creating an NSP should lie with the President, as Head of State, Minister of Defence, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
However, the development of such a vital policy document will require a combined effort, including those responsible for Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Public Security, assisted by a team of experts. The NSS is a practical plan that translates policy into goals. Consequently, it requires an operational plan that includes an organisational structure.
An NSS is critically reliant on an actionable policy. An NSP serves as a blueprint, providing guidance and direction to safeguard the country against current and future threats, the document says.
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