As a follow-up to the Washington Embassy Orientation, a NESA Center team was invited to the Lebanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., to discuss future partnering and a restart of a Lebanese National Defense University (NDU). On 13 December 2023, NESA Center Professors Richard Wiersema and Jennifer Jefferis, Associate Dean Charles Marks, and Program Manager for Outreach and Engagement Christopher Muller met at the Lebanese Ambassador’s residence. The meeting was held with the Charges D’Affaires, Wael Hachem, as well as with two recent NESA Center Alumni, Khaled Hamadeh and Dana Ghazle.
The scope of the previous project proposal for a Lebanese National Defense University (NDU) in Beirut, NESA’s longstanding commitment to the LAF Staff College program, and further areas for collaboration were discussed.
The Lebanese Embassy does not currently have a military attaché, as their previous DATT departed in May. Wael Hachem and his team, however, are dedicated to seeing further NESA programming in Lebanon, preferably with inter-agency support. The National School for Administration (NSA) in Beirut provides basic training for diplomats and civil servants. Hachem’s team would like to see collaboration between the NSA and the Staff College, in addition to support for an NDU.