From 17 to 20 October 2022, the NATO Defense College (NDC) held the first Modular Short Course “Gulf Week” in cooperation with the NATO-ICI Regional Centre (NIRC) in Kuwait, aimed at Istanbul Cooperative Initiative and Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The Head of Information and Security Follow-up Sector at the National Security Bureau, H.E. Sheikh Fawaz Al-Sabah, welcomed the NDC Commandant, Lieutenant-General Olivier Rittimann, at the NATO-ICI Regional Centre. They discussed ways to enhance cooperation between both institutions in possible areas of common interest.
The Commandant of the NATO Defense College inaugurated the joint programme at the NATO-ICI Regional Centre, in Kuwait. During his opening remarks he highlighted that it was an “honour” for the NATO Defense College “to contribute to the educational activities of the NIRC”, which has been a “very productive platform for cooperation and has greatly enhanced much-needed cooperation between NATO and Gulf Nations”.
The Modular Short Course was delivered by a Mobile Training Team from the NATO Defense College to 29 participants from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. The lectures were focused on NATO-related topics such as “Deterrence and Defence in the Euro-Atlantic Area”, “NATO in the Future”, “The NATO Strategic Concept”, and “NATO Strategic Communications in the New Media World”. The Course also included follow-on committee discussions after the lectures.
This Modular Short Course highlights NATO’s 360-degree approach and the importance of cooperation with partners from the Middle East, significantly contributing to the core task of cooperative security as set out in the new NATO Strategic Concept.
During the final ceremony, the NDC Commandant and the NIRC Acting Director stressed the importance of continuing this cooperation and sharing NATO’s ideas and values with the Middle East.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Sofia Carvalheiro, PRT C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN