On 11 October 2013, a delegation from the Norwegian National Defence College (NONDC) visited the NATO Defense College (NDC) in Rome. The aim of the visit was to acquire a better understanding of the main activities of the College, acknowledged to be NATO’s premier academic institution. Four briefings on current issues of interest to NATO Allies were also scheduled.
Lieutenant General Arne Bård Dalhaug (NOR A), Commandant of NDC, warmly welcomed the NONDC delegation led by its Commandant, Rear Admiral Louise Kathrine Dedichen (NOR N).
The visit began with a first briefing on the College, by Director of Management Commodore Harald Hakonsen (NOR N). He not only detailed the NDC’s mission and activities, but also identified the objectives and main features of College courses.
The visit continued with a briefing by the NDC Research Division Director, Dr Karl-Heinz Kamp (DEU C), focusing on NATO’s role and future challenges. An interesting exchange followed on some of the possible implications for NATO of the upcoming withdrawal from Afghanistan in December 2014. Other topics discussed were the financial crisis, the US pivot to the Asia-Pacific region, the US relationship with Russia, the crisis in Syria, and future developments in the international security sector. In conclusion, Dr Kamp emphasized the consensus amongst NATO member states on NATO’s continued existence.
Dr Andreas Jacobs (DEU C), a researcher in the College’s Middle East Faculty, then gave a stimulating speech on current events in the Mediterranean region and their consequences for Europe.
Finally, Mr Luigi D’Angelo, Head of the International Relations Unit – Italian Civil Protection, gave the day’s concluding talk by illustrating the Italian model for national crisis management.
The NONDC provides courses for high-ranking military personnel and senior civil servants. A military institution headed by a Commandant, who is by rank a Major General or Rear Admiral, the NONDC is part of the Norwegian Defence Academy and reports to the Chief of Defence. The courses run by the NONDC relate to defence and civil emergency planning, with the main emphasis on the interaction between civil emergency planning and military defence. A number of international issues are also covered, to ensure full understanding of their potential implications for Norwegian defence. These include migration, peacekeeping, international politics, and terrorism.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Monica Fornari, ITA C)
NATO Defense College