Connecting Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Beyond

From 9–12 July 2023, the NESA Center hosted the 10th annual Strategic Studies Network (SSN) Central Asia Working Group meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan. The NESA Center partnered with the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) and the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA) to manage the workshop that gathered experts from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Read More >

Washington Seminar – August 2023

On 2 August 2023, the NESA Center for Strategic Studies held a Washington Seminar Discussion in Washington, D.C. The seminar presented a conversation between Associate Professor Daniel Curfiss and Dr. Hassan Abbas. The afternoon ended with a question-and-answer session with 17 attendees from 12 countries. The talk and conversations during question-and-answer revolved around the Taliban Read More >

2023 Air Command and Staff College Seminar

On 12 July 2023, the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA Center) hosted approximately 90 students and faculty from the Air Command and Staff College. The group was briefed at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. by NESA Center Professor Dr. Gawdat Bahgat on Security Challenges in the Middle East and NESA Center Read More >

2023 Air War College International Officer Seminar

On 23 June 2023, the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA Center) hosted 54 international fellows and faculty from the Air War College. The students were briefed at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. by NESA Center Academic Dean Dr. Roger Kangas on the Security Implications of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine and NESA Read More >

China and Russia Competition for Afghanistan

CSAG INFORMATION PAPER By: LTC GIAMPIERO CURRADO, ITA Army (CSAG/CCJ5) 21 June 2023 Subject: China and Russia – Competition for Afghanistan (AFG) Purpose: The aim of this paper is to present CSAG’s analysis of competition between Russia and China for agreements and strategies for the Central Asian Heartland. Read the complete paper here.   View Read More >

February–March 2023 NESA Center Update Report

View the NESA Center February–March 2023 Update focused on cyber Near East South Asia Region trends. The update also highlights February through March 2023 NESA Center programs and events, faculty and staff engagements, alumni contributions, and a calendar with upcoming events. February – March 2023 Cyber Trends: Pakistan continues to be in the eye of Read More >

2023 NESA-IISS South Asia Security Forum

From 10–12 March 2023,  the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies and its partner, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), co-hosted the 7th annual South Asia Security Forum in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The NESA Center team Distinguished Professor Hassan Abbas, Distinguished Professor Ali Ahmad Jalali, and Adjunct Professor John Gill attended the forum, which brought Read More >

Türkiye’s Role in the USCENTCOM AOR

CSAG STRATEGY PAPER By: LTC Jussi Puustinen, FIN Army, CSAG CCJ5 06 March  2023   Overview: Türkiye has quite a unique position in many perspectives e.g., geographically, geopolitically and geoeconomically. It lies at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia (and Africa) with ties to all of them; it has a land Read More >

Washington Seminar Discussion January 2023

Two people in suits having a conversation

On Thursday, 26 January 2023, the NESA Center hosted a Washington Seminar Discussion at the Army-Navy Club in downtown Washington, D.C. The seminar presented a conversation between NESA Center Distinguished Professor of International Relations Dr. Hassan Abbas and CNN’s National Security Analyst Peter Bergen covering security challenges in the NESA region, specifically in Afghanistan, after Read More >

Uzbekistan Group Meetings

From 12–16 December 2022, the NESA Center team of Dean Dr. Roger Kangas, Distinguished Professor Dr. Hassan Abbas, and Research Assistant Michelle Hanssen visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan to hold a series of meetings and visits that focused on reconnecting with Uzbek partners after the Covid-19 hiatus. With particular emphasis on the Strategic Studies Network Central Asia Read More >