On 6th December 2013, the NATO Defense College (NDC) and the Middle East Faculty (MEF) celebrated the graduation of the tenth session of the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC 10), and the first NRCC Anciens’ Seminar.
The ceremony was attended by NRCC Course Members and staff from the Middle East Faculty, as well as by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco H.E. Hassan Abouyoub, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania H.E. Moctar Ould Dahi, the Kingdom of Jordan H.E. Zaid Al Lozi and the Head of Mission of the League of Arab States in Italy, Ambassador Al-Shibli, among a distinguished group of guests and diplomatic representatives from a number of countries in the Middle East, NRCC Anciens including Colonel (ret) Sandy Guptill (USMC) the founder and the previous Director of the NDC Middle East Faculty. The guest speaker for the occasion was Ambassador Alessandro Minuto Rizzo, former NATO Deputy Secretary General.
Upon arrival participants were warmly welcomed by NDC Commandant LtGen Arne Bård Dalhaug (NOR A), and by Col Giuseppe Morabito (ITA A), Director of the Middle East Faculty.
Before the start of the graduation ceremony, the distinguished guests joined NRCC 10 Course Members in the Maynard-Thorn Hall, for an address by Ambassador Minuto Rizzo focused on NATO as a tool of cooperative security and the importance of NATO partnership with-Middle East countries.
Following Ambassador Minuto Rizzo’s speech, NRCC 10 Course Members came forward individually to receive their graduation diplomas and the personal congratulations of the NDC leadership.
After, Senior NRCC-10 Course Member BrigGen Matar (JOR) delivered a touching address, on behalf of all NRCC Course Members, in order to thank all MEF and NDC staff. BrigGen Matar stressed the importance of this unique Course that represents a valuable NATO asset.
NRCC 10 brought together 27 military and civilians from 13 different countries including, for the first time, the Republic of Moldova. The curriculum was both extensive but well focused, embracing a number of significant strategic challenges and the resulting need for informed planning at regional and global levels. Far from offering a mere complement to mainstream security-related topics, the Course enabled participants to work towards a truly comprehensive strategic dialogue and to develop what the College calls “human interoperability”, establishing mutual trust as a firm basis for cooperation.
The NRCC programme was created as a result of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) and the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD). The first Course (NRCC 1) started in 2009, with a view to enhancing dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation between NATO and Partner countries. Amongst the activities planned to ensure NRCC 10 would not be limited to daily classroom lectures were a Field Study to Belgium and Jordan, two crisis simulation exercises, and a number of cultural visits throughout Italy. Among the most significant lectures, greatly appreciated by Course Members, were those devoted to the three great monotheistic religions.
The Middle East Faculty staff has greatly appreciated the hard work put in by Course Members throughout the ten weeks of the Course and now looks forward to NRCC 11, which will start on 3rd March 2014.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Monica Fornari, ITA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 
