The Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies, in partnership with the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), hosted a welcome dinner as part of the “Post-Grad Senior Military Executive Engagement” for foreign African colonels and general officers attending the U.S. Senior Military Service Schools at National Defense University Class of 2024/25. The program is focused on African and Egyptian graduates in USAFRICOM’s area of responsibility. The sit-down welcome dinner on 6 August 2024 was hosted by the NESA Center Director, Ambassador John Desrocher in partnership with the Acting ACSS Director, Colonel Daniel Hampton. There were 26 guests from 13 African countries in attendance.
The primary objective of this engagement is to leverage the U.S. investment in future military leaders from the U.S. Senior Service Schools at National Defense University, who are expected to fill senior positions of responsibility. After their academic year at NDU, graduates will be knowledgeable in U.S. National Security Strategy, fluent in English after one year, and key candidates for future regionally based collaboration. This venue provides leaders from African countries opportunities to think beyond the military focus of the Service Schools and to engage in a candid dialogue with each other and with the Regional Centers on shared issues relating to regional security and stability, to network on common challenges, to establish bridges between nations, and to foster long-lasting relationships, while providing a new “pool” of senior military strategists for NESA Center and ACSS Alumni and future Regional Center Programs. In addition, they provide a pool of future leaders in Africa to continue engagement in strategic-level dialogues with AFRICOM leadership, Line of Effort Working Groups, and desk/action officers post-graduation. The fellows will be invited to participate in a variety of future programs at the NESA Center and ACSS. ACSS, in partnership with the NESA Center, will hold a Farewell-Alumni Lunch in May 2025 for the class before their graduation from NDU and return to their home countries and next assignments.