FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

16 November 2016

WASHINGTON, DC – Halifax International Security Forum, North America’s leading foreign affairs and defense conference, and the first major meeting of top political and military leaders after the 2016 US elections, today released a full list of participants and the agenda for this year’s Forum.

Hosted by Canada’s Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, the gathering includes a bipartisan Congressional Delegation led by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Deb Fisher (R-NE), as well as Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Mike Pompeo (R-KS). Also from the United States are Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work and Gen (Ret.) John Allen, former head of the global coalition to defeat ISIS.

Among international leaders speaking at the Forum are Sir Michael Fallon, UK Secretary of State for Defence, who will speak about Britain’s place in the world after Brexit, the Honorable Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s Minister of Defence, who will speak about issues related to combatting terror, the Honorable Ömer Çelik, Turkey’s Minister for European Union Affairs, who will speak about Turkey after July’s failed coup attempt.

Other speakers include Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Ukranian Deputy Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Estonian Defense Minister Hannes Hanso, and Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, NATO Deputy Secretary General, who will address the future of NATO and the challenges posed by Russia.

Senior military leaders include Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance, Admiral Michael Rogers, Director of the U.S. National Security Agency and Cyber Command and Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, United States Pacific Command. Chiefs of Defense include Stuart Peach, UK, Ricardo Visaya, Philippines, Haakon Bruun-Hanssen, Norway, Antony Anderson, Jamaica and Thomas A. Middendorp, the Netherlands.

To discuss the fluid situation in Iraq, Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of Foreign Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government, will also be present. From India, Halifax will host Mr. Ram Madhav, General Secretary, of the BJP, the governing party of the world’s largest democracy. And from Russia, former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov will add insight to the situation in his country.

For a full list of Halifax International Security Forum participants at the November 18-20 Forum click here: https://www.halifaxtheforum.org/participants

For a copy of the agenda, click here: https://www.halifaxtheforum.org/2016-agenda

The Halifax International Security Forum is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, DC. The Forum is made possible by the generous support from its partners, including the Government of Canada, and the Halifax Canada Club.

For more information, please contact:

Robin MacLachlan, Communications Manager, Halifax International Security Forum – (613) 294-6128

For media inquiries or to register for accreditation to the Forum please contact communications@halifaxtheforum.org

Please direct other inquiries to info@halifaxtheforum.org