On 20th November the NATO Defense College (NDC) was honoured by the presence of guest lecturer BrigGen Hamid Fakkane (DZA-A), for a Lecture of Opportunity entitled “The Algerian Experience in the Fight against Terrorism”. The speaker was warmly welcomed by LtGen Arne Bård Dalhaug (NOR-A), Commandant of the NDC, and by Col Giuseppe Morabito (ITA-A), Director of the NDC’s Middle East Faculty.
BrigGen Fakkane addressed an extremely attentive audience of NDC Faculty Advisers, Staff and participants attending the eighth NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC 8), which is organized by the Middle East Faculty for military officers and civilian officials from NATO member states and from partner countries in the Mediterranean and Gulf region.
After situating his country’s experience of terrorism in its historical context, the lecturer spoke in detail about Algeria’s efforts over the last two decades in dealing with the problems of religious extremism and religion-based terrorist movements. He offered a fascinating and authoritative account of the main strategies used by the Algerian armed forces in the fight against terrorism, and the results achieved.
The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria is particularly determined to eradicate terrorism, with an approach based on political, military, economic and social measures. These have been introduced with a view not only to guaranteeing social stability and cohesion inside Algeria, but also to decreasing the terrorist threat in the regional environment and in a broader international context.
BrigGen Fakkale concluded with an analysis of international cooperation projects, highlighting the importance of constant monitoring against possible terrorist attacks and the need to invest more resources in the identification of terrorist sanctuaries. The lecture was followed by an intense Q&A session, with detailed discussion of key points raised by the speaker.
Lectures of Opportunity such as that offered by BrigGen Fakkale are of great value to participants attending courses at the NDC, since they provide specific and thorough analysis of topics which are of particular relevance to NATO and the international community.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Eleonora Fuser, ITA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 