Senior Course 144 delved into the complex security landscape of the African continent during the Africa Seminar held over two days on 24 and 25 June. Providing Course Members with an in-depth overview of the main political, geopolitical, military and security-related issues of different regions of Africa, this Seminar also allowed them to take part in brainstorming sessions and stimulating discussions within Working Groups.
Day 1 focused on North Africa, examining the current security challenges of the region, as well as the role of the international community and external players such as NATO and the EU in promoting security and stability in the area. Participants deepened their knowledge of the political and geopolitical dynamics of this area with lectures delivered by subject-matter experts Dr Haizam Amirah Fernandez (Royal Institute Elcano), Dr Abdennour Benantar (Université Paris 8), and Ms Claudia Gazzini (International Crisis Group). Ms Gazzini’s lecture focused specifically on Libya, offering Course Members valuable insights on the ongoing crisis and exploring possible future developments.
Day 2 shifted the focus to the main security and political challenges of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel region. Guest lecturers Dr Giovanni Marco Carbone (Universita’ degli Studi di Milano and ISPI), Dr Jean-Hervé Jezequel (International Crisis Group), and Dr Yvan Guichaoua (Kent University) gave participants a strategic overview of the current obstacles to security and stability in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as an updated analysis of the crisis in the Sahel region. Examining NATO and the EU’s presence in the area, the lectures explored future prospects for stability in the countries concerned. Moreover, day two of the Seminar provided the participants with the opportunity to exchange about the interconnectedness of conflicts, criminal trafficking, and terrorist threats in the area, while also assessing the role of regional and international actors.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Chloé Ketels, FRA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN