{"id":5517,"date":"2024-03-15T13:07:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T12:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsite.ndc.nato.int\/?p=5517"},"modified":"2025-08-20T12:57:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T11:57:18","slug":"sc-144-fs-visit-to-nato-hq-and-shape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ndc.nato.int\/fr\/sc-144-fs-visit-to-nato-hq-and-shape\/","title":{"rendered":"Strengthening NATO: Insights from a visit to NATO HQ and SHAPE"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Senior Course 144 (SC 144) and NATO Regional Cooperation Course 31 (NRCC 31) embarked on a fascinating two-day journey to the heart of NATO, visiting both the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) on 13 March and NATO Headquarters on 14 March 2024. Their mission: to delve deeper into the Organization’s intricate processes and strategic transformation, particularly against the backdrop of evolving security challenges. The invaluable opportunity to meet their respective military representatives, gaining first-hand information, significantly contributed to enriching their background knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NDC delegation attending the panel discussion.<\/p>

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Admiral Sir Keith Blount, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), welcomes the NDC delegation.<\/p>

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Course Members receiving briefings from SHAPE military representatives.<\/p>

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Course Member asking a question during the Q&A session at SHAPE.<\/p>

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Course Members attending the lecture.<\/p>

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Office call between Admiral Joachim R\u00fchle, Chief of Staff at SHAPE (left), and NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen.<\/p>

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Group photo of SC 144 and NRCC 31 Course Members during their visit to SHAPE.<\/p>

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Welcome and keynote address by Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak, Director of the International Military Staff (DGIMS).<\/p>

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Course Members attend the lecture at NATO Headquarters.<\/p>

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From left to right, Major General Fran\u00e7ois-Marie Gougeon, Dr Benedetta Berti, panel moderator Dr Cynthia Salloum, Lieutenant General Ian Cave, and Lieutenant General S\u0142awomir Wojciechowski.<\/p>

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NDC delegation attending the briefings. First row (l to r), NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen, Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak, and Major General Fran\u00e7ois-Marie Gougeon.<\/p>

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Dr Benedetta Berti, Head of Policy Planning, Office of the Secretary General, addresses the audience during the panel discussion.<\/p>

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Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen (right) converses with Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak.<\/p>

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Group photo at NATO Headquarters.<\/p>

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The visit to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) offered Course Members a deeper understanding of SHAPE\u2019s current objectives and priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After being welcomed by Admiral Sir Keith Blount, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), Course Members received two comprehensive briefings by Lieutenant General Hubert Cottereau, SHAPE\u2019s Vice Chief of Staff, and Major General Davide Re, Deputy Chief of Staff \u2013 Strategic Development and Preparation Directorate, on SHAPE\u2019s integral role in NATO\u2019s warfighting transformation. The third briefing, by Rear Admiral Gunnstein Bru\u00e5sdal, Deputy Chief of Staff \u2013 Partnerships Directorate, discussed partnership programmes and activities such as visits, conferences and workshops for participating nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outlining SHAPE’s ongoing adaptation into a strategic warfighting headquarters, the speakers highlighted the implementation of deterrence and defence strategies for the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA), detailing the comprehensive approach that includes strategic-level training in multi-domain warfare and operations. This modernization effort is geared towards enhancing the Alliance’s collective defence capabilities, ensuring readiness to counter evolving threats and safeguard all Allies. In this context, partnerships contribute to NATO’s core tasks \u2013 collective defence, crisis management and cooperative security \u2013 reinforcing its open-door policy, as enshrined in Article 10 of the Washington Treaty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As NATO adapts to the changing security environment, so does the NDC. A fruitful meeting between NDC Commandant, Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen, and SHAPE’s Chief of Staff, Admiral Joachim R\u00fchle, provided an opportunity to discuss strategic education as delivered by the NDC, and avenues for enhancing cooperation between the NDC and SHAPE. This meeting was of great significance, as the NDC remains committed to providing top-tier education that thoroughly prepares future leaders and continually adds value to NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 14 March, the visit to NATO HQ began with a welcome and keynote address by Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak, Director of the International Military Staff (DGIMS), who provided an overview of the current security environment and NATO\u2019s ongoing response. \u201cWe must face the fact that since Russia\u2019s brutal invasion of Ukraine, peace in Europe is no longer a given. War has, unfortunately, come back to our continent and now we must work together to ensure it doesn\u2019t spread any further. We have to prepare for this new reality, for this new era of collective defence\u201d, he noted. The Director General also underscored the strides made by Allies in defence spending, capacity building and production capability, as well as the ongoing implementation of NATO\u2019s new regional plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the opening remarks, attendees engaged in a lively panel discussion moderated by Dr Cynthia Salloum, NDC Faculty Advisor and Senior Researcher. The conversation revolved around NATO’s current agenda, with a keen focus on defence and deterrence strategies after the Vilnius Summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distinguished speakers provided valuable insights:<\/p>\n\n\n