CHDS and Salvadoran Military Conduct National Security Planning Seminar

Charge d'Affaires Robert Blau was present at the closing ceremony.

Members of the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly, members of the Cabinet, ministries and the Salvadoran Social and Economic Foundation (FUSADES) participated in a “National Security Planning” serminar coordinated by the Center for Hemispheric National Defense Studies (CHDS) of the National Defense University (NDU) and the Salvadoran Ministry of Defense.

The objective of the seminar was to elaborate National Security objectives, indentify the fundamentals and elements of a National Security and Defense strategy and to design and define a National Security and Defense policy.  This plan will be presented to Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes.          

The seminar had the participation of experts from the CHDS such as:  Dr. Richard Downie, CHDS Director, Dr. Álvaro Balcázar, Director of the Macarena Integrated Consolidation Plan in Colombia, as well as Dan Restrepo, Director of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council (NSC).  Participants from El Salvador included the Minister of Defense and the Minister or Foreign Affairs.

The Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies in located in Washington DC and is recognized as the foremost academic institution for the teaching, investigation and training of national defense and security issues in the Americas.