On 26th and 27th March, participants attending the ninth NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-9) at the NATO Defense College (NDC) visited NATO Headquarters (NATO HQ) in Brussels. The NRCC also made its very first visit to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in nearby Mons.
Course Members thus had a unique opportunity to engage in detailed discussion with NATO officials and diplomats on current topics of fundamental interest in the fields of security and strategy. These were authoritatively covered in briefings by a number of high-level speakers.
H.E. Ambassador Dirk Brengelmann, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, welcomed NRCC-9 on arrival and gave a much appreciated briefing on NATO’s current political agenda. This was followed by an extremely valuable question and answer session with General Knud
Bartels, Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee.
Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head of the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division’s Middle East and North Africa Section, then gave a very stimulating briefing on NATO’S current Strategic Concept, concentrating above all on the Mediterranean area and the Middle East.
After this, a comprehensive update on NATO’s main priorities and strategic agenda was given by Deputy Secretary General H.E. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow.
Following an intense morning of presentations and discussions, Course Members attended a working lunch. This gave them an opportunity to speak at length with Commodore Emil Eftimov, Deputy Director of the NATO International Military Staff’s Cooperation and Regional Security Division, who provided a valuable update on NATO’s military cooperation within the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI).
In the afternoon, participants engaged in an extremely interesting discussion on NATO-Russia relations with Dr. Petr Lunak, Deputy Head of the Engagement Section, Public Diplomacy Division.
The first day of the visit was fittingly concluded by a meeting with H.E. Ambassador Gabriele Checchia and H.E. Ambassador Philippe Errera, respectively Permanent Representatives of Italy and France to NATO.
On their second day in Brussels, Course Members reconvened at NATO HQ for a very informative briefing on emerging security challenges. The speaker was Mr Michael Ruehle, Head of the Energy Security Section of the Emerging Security Challenges Division.
Major General Marcel Druart, Director of NATO’s International Military Staff Operations Division, then gave a thorough appraisal of NATO operations over Libya and in Afghanistan.
Before moving to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the group spent time with Mr Manuel Acerete and Mr Ekkehard Brose, respectively Deputy Permanent Representatives of Spain and Germany to NATO.
In the afternoon, Course Members were welcomed to SHAPE by Major General Fucsku, DCOS Military Partnership. They heard a number of excellent presentations about operations-related issues, focused on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and about SHAPE’s active commitment to the inclusion of partner nations in planning.
The visit concluded with an exceptionally thought-provoking and informative Q&A session, affording Course Members an appropriate opportunity to review the main issues discussed during the course of the afternoon.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Francesca Blasi, ITA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 