On Thursday, 27 July 2023, the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies welcomed three U.S. military officers who attended the Defense Security Cooperation University’s seven-week training and education program, which includes the Fundamentals and Application of Security Cooperation Organization (SCO) Operations Course and the National Capital Region-based SCO Operational Engagements Course. These SCO personnel will serve as vital link between whole-of-government Security Cooperation efforts and partner states in the Gulf. During their visit, the military officers were briefed by Professor David Des Roches, Professor Richard Wiersema, and Professor Gawdat Bahgat on the NESA Center mission, NESA Center capabilities, examples of past NESA Center programs, and various NESA Center initiatives including our ongoing professional military education programs in several countries.
NESA is a small but dynamic part of the U.S. security cooperation enterprise. It is a faculty-driven institution that provides education on a broad range of security issues, such as developments in technology, security impacts of climate change, the role of women and non-combatants in modern conflict, and the importance of mitigating civilian harm in conflict.