Friday 21 May 2010
In the week after the return from the "TRANSATLANTIC LINK" Field Study, Senior Course (SC) 116 engaged in the 13th week of the academic programme with Study Period (SP) C1 - "Global Security Challenges". The aim of the SP is to ‘analyze global security challenges and the possible implications for NATO'. Modular Short Course 4 (MSC4) joined the SC for the SP, as well as many visiting Embassy staff, the NATO/ITA Logistics Course and the Czech Republic National Defence University for selected days.
Earlier in the Course, SC 116 had the opportunity to propose a vision of the world in 2025, outlining the future security environment within which NATO must work. SP C1 provided the chance to hear from experts in a number of specific fields to further inform committee views. At the end of the SP, committees have the opportunity to identify, by consensus, the topic deemed most relevant to NATO, and develop recommendations and offer them to the supervising Flag Officer and Faculty Advisor in the form of a presentation. The lecture content of SP C1 was as follows:
On Thursday 13 May Dr Nazrin Mehdiyeva presented the lecture "Energy Security". Dr Mehdiyeva is a leading energy consultant providing strategic, commercial, regulatory and policy advice to Europe's energy markets. Dr Mehdiyeva offered a valuable definition of Energy Security and a detailed analysis of the issues associated with energy supply to nations, particularly in times of crisis, and discussed the relevance of energy security to NATO.
On Friday 14 May "The Environment and Consequences of Climate Change" was delivered by Professor Gwyn Prins and Dr Bruno Tertrais. Professor Gwyn Prins - first Alliance Research Professor appointed from 2002 jointly at the London School of Economics and Columbia University in New York, and NDC Ancien - provided a critical view of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change, as well as a broad overview of the politics of Climate Change and its impact on International political institutions. Dr Bruno Tertrais is currently a Senior research fellow at the Foundation for Strategic Research, based in Paris, and a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Council of the Global Agenda of the World Economic Forum. Dr Tertrais provided an analytical assessment of the relevance to NATO, and Defence and Security institutions, of the consequences of climate change.
On Monday 17 May "Terrorism" was delivered by Dr Edwin Bakker from the Clingendael, and Mr Laurent Moscatello from INTERPOL. Dr Bakker, head of the Clingendael Security and Conflict Programme, once again offered a useful discussion on the definition of Terrorism and provided a valuable academic perspective on key issues, including examples of successes against Terrorism. Mr Laurent Moscatello, a ssistant Director Public Safety and Terrorism from INTERPOL, offered a good analysis of the breadth of Terrorism today and the need to work internationally in the fight against it. Both observed the difficulty in achieving a consensus of definition of Terrorism. The morning equipped committee members well for their afternoon intercommittee debate on the subject of Terrorism and deterrence.
On Tuesday 18 May "Demography and Migration" was delivered by Professor Peter Liotta (USA), Professor of Humanities and Executive Director of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University, Newport, Rhode Island, USA. Prof Liotta once again gave a versatile and comprehensive presentation covering long-term global demographic trends, migration and the inter-related risks that this posed the world community.
On Wednesday 19 May "Resource Scarcity and Water" was presented by Dr Theresa Sabonis-Helf (USA), Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College in Washington, DC. Dr Sabonis-Helf covered the causes of resource scarcity and the need to think strategically about resources, emphasizing the need for governance with respect to resource allocation. The problems of water scarcity, aligned with the unsustainable use of water, was a key theme, with valuable comments offered on climate change. On the same morning, Mr Jan Delbaere ( Belgium), a high level expert and experienced operational practitioner from the United Nations World Food Programme (UN/WFP), Rome ( Italy), provided analytical insight into “Food Security”. Mr Delbaere offered a 3 point framework within which to view the issue of food security, challenging CMs to consider afresh how food security might be understood.
On Thursday 20 May "Organised Crime" was presented by Mr Calvani from the United Nations Inter-regional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and Mr Reuland from INTERPOL. Mr Calvani once again provided a fascinating overview of International crime, criminality and criminal hierarchies, stressing the view that lack of international governance enabled much transnational criminal activity. Mr Reuland complimented discussions from an Interpol perspective, outlining the key contribution INTERPOL makes in combating organized and international crime, as well as offering suggestions for future cooperative improvements.
The Study Period concluded on Friday 21 May with Professor Dr Holger Mey (DEU), political analyst and head of Advanced Concepts, EADS, Munich, and Mr Edmund Whiteside (NATO/CAN) Secretary of the North Atlantic Council, with a lecture on "Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation and Arms Control". Professor Mey offered a clear, fascinating and thought provoking analysis of the key issues, challenging CMs to think through the logic of proliferation. Mr Whiteside offered a clear and detailed assessment of the issues inherent in any discussion on WMD and proliferation, including a useful focus on Missile Defence.
Throughout the seven days of "Global Security Challenges" CMs and MSC 4 engaged in lively "Question and Answer" sessions, held intercommittee discussion and debate, and, for SC 116, worked towards the completion of a consensus presentation. SP C1 is busy, but essential to provide the broad security context within which CMs must inevitably think.
