Preparation of SDG Mainstreamed Public Service Delivery Strategy for Ministry of Defence

Section 12(1) of the Sustainable Development Act requires every ministry, department, provincial council, provincial ministry and department and local authority to prepare the Sustainable Development Strategy relevant to the scope of such ministry, department, provincial council, provincial ministry and department and local authority. In this regard, the Secretary to the President as the Chairman of the Sustainable Development Council has issued a Circular numbered PS/SP/SB/4/114-II, dated 03.10.2019 and titled “Formulation of Sustainable Development Strategies” to guide the Ministries, Departments and Statutory Boards for preparing their Public Service Delivery Strategies and also identifying the projects and programmes.

As the national focal point on sustainable development, the Sustainable Development Council (SDC) provides facilitation, guidance and continuous support to all Ministries, Departments and Statutory Boards for preparing the SDG mainstreamed Public Service Delivery Strategies in line with their mandates, core businesses and relevant SDG targets, and also to identify/ align programmes and projects with their goals and strategies. Accordingly, a series of workshops has already been conducted covering several ministries.

The workshop for the Ministry of Defence and affiliated agencies was held on 31 July 2020 at the main auditorium of the Ministry of Defence. Major General (Rtrd) Kamal Guneratne - Secretary - Ministry of Defence, Additional Secretaries, Director Generals, Military Officers, Senior DIGs and other senior officers representing 22 affiliated institutions attached to the Ministry of Defence attended the workshop.

On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, Ms. Chandani Wijayawardane- Director General (Planning), Ministry of Defence welcomed the Secretary- Ministry of Defence, Director General- Sustainable Development Council and his team and all the senior officials attached to the Ministry and affiliated institutions who attended the workshop. She briefly explained the purpose of conducting this workshop    with the participation of senior management level staff of the ministry and the organizations coming under the purview of the ministry.

Delivering the keynote speech, Major General (Rtrd) Kamal Guneratne emphasized the importance of conducting this workshop in order to identify the avenues available in the mandates of the Ministry of Defence and institutes under the purview of the Ministry and thereby provide fullest support to the National Policy Framework. Elaborating the importance of Sustainable Development Goals in transforming the nation into peaceful, just and inclusive country, he said the global agenda is well fitted into Sri Lanka’s development policy priorities. He further stated that the country had been able to manage illegal activities to a greater extent in the recent past by streamlining the law enforcement mechanism.

The key resource person of the event, Dr. Sugath Yalegama- Director General, Sustainable Development Council briefly described the roadmap of transforming the world to a sustainably developed world and Sri Lanka to a sustainably developed Sri Lanka. He also explained the process of preparing the SDG mainstreamed Public Service Delivery Strategies in line with the relevant President Secretary’s Circular on the “Formulation of Sustainable Development Strategies”, by identifying the goals, strategies, projects and programs with respect to the mandates of the organizations coming under purview of the ministry through the relevant Acts, policies, international agreements and SDG Targets.

Furthermore, Ms. Samanthi Senanayake – Director (Development), Sustainable Development Council presented a detailed introduction of the SDG policy targets relevant to the Ministry of Defence and elaborated how each SDG Target can be incorporated into the public service delivery strategy of the Ministry of Defence.

During the workshop, the participants representing 22 institutions attached to the Ministry of Defence worked in groups to review their organizational mandates and identified the thrust areas relevant to each organization, and organizational goals and strategies. The DG – Sustainable Development Council provided a feedback to all institutions to improve on their goals and strategies.

In concluding remarks, Dr. Sugath Yalegama thanked the Secretary – Ministry of Defence and Ms. Chandani Wijayawardane- Director General (Planning) for the support given to successfully organize the workshop and thanked all the senior officials attached to the Ministry and affiliated institutions for their active participation. Delivering the Vote of thanks Ms. Nirasha Dissanayake- Deputy Director- Ministry of Defence thanked the Secretary – Ministry of Defence for his words of encouragement and Dr. Sugath Yalegama and his team from SDC for the expertise and financial support provided.

Accordingly, the Thrust areas of the institutions coming under the purview of the Ministry of Defence were identified as follows:

Office of Chief of Defence Staff- Provide direction and development strategic guidance for armed forces
Sri Lanka Army- Protect Nation from internal & external aggression on ground
Sri Lanka Navy- Ensure Maritime Security 
Sri Lanka Air force- Protect the nation from internal and external aggression on air space
Sri Lanka Police- Enforcing law to preserve peace and public order 
Sri Lanka Coast Guard- Maritime Law enforcement for peaceful seas
Department of Civil Security- Act as auxiliary force in support of tri forces and police 
Department of Multipurpose Development Task Force- Recruitment, development and deploying less educated school dropouts of underprivileged families for national development 
National Dangerous Drug Control Board- Ensure substance free healthy and well- being citizens for Sri Lanka 
Ranaviru Seva Authority- Facilitating and supporting well- being of Ranaviru community 
Sir John Kotelawala Defence University- Provide high quality learner centered higher education, research and innovation 
Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka– Driving Digital transformation of government, business and society
Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team- Protect the cyber space 
Department of Registration of Persons- Provide legal identity for all citizens
National Authority for the Implementation of Chemical Weapons Convention- Monitor and regulate chemicals listed under chemical weapon convention to ensure peaceful and safe use of the chemicals
Institute of National Security Studies of Sri Lanka- Conduct high quality research and analysis on national security to improve policy and decision making
Defence Services College- Provide quality and equal education in a disciplined environment for the children of tri forces and police
National Cadet Corps- Cadet training for schools students 
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka- Regulating and promoting the telecommunication industry and protecting public interests
Defence Services Command and Staff College- Preparation of middle grade military officers of tri-services to meet defence and security challenges
NGO Secretariat- Registration, regulation and monitoring NGOs in Sri Lanka 
Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd-To provide security services to commercial and industrial sector
 

Accordingly, the Mission Statement for the Ministry of Defence was identified as:

Providing leadership in the area of defence through:

Protecting the Nation from internal and external aggression on ground, sea, and the air space; preserving law and public order; ensuring peaceful seas by enforcing maritime law; and providing intelligence services and auxiliary force in support of tri-forces and police;

providing higher education to cadet staff; quality and equal education for the children of tri forces and police; preparing middle grade military officers of tri services to meet defense and security challenges; and supporting the well- being of Ranawiru community;

ensuring substance free healthy and wellbeing of citizens; and ensuring peaceful and safe use of chemicals listed under chemical weapon convention by monitoring and regulating them;

protecting the cyber space; regulating and promoting the telecommunication industry and protecting public interests; driving digital transformation of government, business and society; and conducting high quality research and analysis on national security to improve policy and decision making;

providing legal identity for citizens; security services to commercial and industrial sector; cadet training for schools students; registration, regulation and monitoring of NGOs; and employment for less educated children of underprivileged families;

reducing disaster risks; providing  post-disaster relief and recovery support; weather forecasting; and technical services for DRR and safer built environment.

Financial sponsorship of the event was also provided by the SDC. The workshop was attended by more than 70 senior managerial level participants and the finalized outcome of the workshop- “Public Service Delivery Strategy of Ministry of Defence” is expected to be reviewed by the Sustainable Development Council.