5th ADESyD Congress at Isdefe’s headquarters

On 26 November, the Association of Spanish Diplomats in Security and Defence (ADESyD) held its 5th Congress at Isdefe’s headquarters. Yet again this year the congress brought together experts from the military, police, Civil Guard, academia and business, as well as the Association’s own members, under the slogan “Sharing (visions of) Security”.

The opening remarks were delivered by Isdefe’s CEO, Francisco Quereda, the president of ADESyD, María Angustias Caracuel Raya and the general coordinator of ADESyD, José Díaz Toribio.

The Ministry of Interior’s Secretary of State for Security, Ana Botella, was charged with making the opening presentation, in which she underscored “the need to face security challenges in global terms”, which entails “enhancing our security system” from a perspective of “global interdependence”. She also discussed the main areas of work of her office, which range from prevention policies and coordinating with the European Union to controlling and tracking migration flows, boosting staffing and improving infrastructures. She also noted the update to the terrorism control strategy, which is currently in the works and is expected to be completed in early 2019.

During the congress, current security concerns were debated during four thematic sessions on National, International, Public and Private Security, which served to highlight the unifying role of security and the importance of encouraging a culture of security as a driver for the national security system.

Representing Isdefe in the session on National Security was the Head of Security for Critical Systems and Infrastructures, Oscar Pastor, with a presentation on “Cyberdefence in the context of National Security”.

Closing the event was Cristina Gallach, High Commissioner for the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, who, among other topics, noted the holistic nature of the Agenda and the importance of understanding, accepting, disseminating and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals of said Agenda, which focus on five key areas: Planet, People, Prosperity, Peace and Alliances.