Visit to NATO HQ of the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-9)
On 26 and 27 March 2013, the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC) visited NATO Headquarters on a Field Study visit, organised by the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division (PASP).
The ninth NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-9) was welcomed at NATO Headquarters by Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Ambassador Dirk Brengelmann, for a two-day programme that included meetings with NATO officials and Permanent Representatives on the North Atlantic Council.
The NRCC-9 received briefings on NATO’s New Strategic Concept, the Mediterranean and the Middle East by Mr. Nicola de Santis, Head, Middle East and North Africa Section, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, on NATO’s Military Cooperation in the framework of the Mediterranean Dialogue and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative by Colonel Pierre Goudal, Branch Chief, Cooperation and Regional Secruity Division, International Military Staff, on NATO’s Operation in Afghanistan by Major General Marcel Druart, Director Operations Division, NATO International Military Staff, on NATO-Russia relations by Dr Petr Lunak, Deputy Head, Engagement Section, Public Diplomacy Division, and on New Emerging Security Challenges by Mr Michael Ruehle, Head Energy Security Section, Emerging Security Challenges Division.
The visit also included a series of high-level meetings with the NATO Deputy Secretary General, H.E. Alexander Vershbow, with General Knud Bartels, Chairman of the North Atlantic Military Committee, and with several Representatives of Allied Nations, notably with H.E. Ambassador Gabriele Checchia, the Permanent Representative of Italy on the North Atlantic Council, with H.E. Ambassador Philippe Errera, the Permanent Representative of France on the North Atlantic Council, with Mr Manuel Acerete, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain on the North Atlantic Council, and with Mr Ekkehard Brose, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany on the North Atlantic Council.
The NRCC is a direct response to NATO's HOSG decision in Riga in 2006 to launch the NATO Training Cooperation Initiative with the countries from the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), and the success of the NRCC is demonstrated by the growing interest from regional states. The ninth NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-9) has 24 participants, from Algeria, Egypt, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Mauritania, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the USA.