Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies
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...
Annual NESA-IISS Southern Asia Security Conference
From 24-26 September 2021, Dean Dr. Roger Kangas along with Professor Dr. Hassan Abbas and Professor John Gill participated in the restart of the annual NESA-IISS Southern Asia Security Conference in Bahrain. This was the 14th iteration of the conference after a hiatus in 2020 because of...
Defense Security Cooperation Agency and Near East South Asia Regional Center Engagement
On 27 November 2023, the Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), James (Jim) Hursch, met with representatives from the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies. During the briefing, NESA Center Acting Director COL David Lamm, USA (Ret.) provided an...
Discussion with the Director of the Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies
On 30 March 2023, a group from the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies, including Deputy Director COL David Lamm, USA (Ret.); Professor Dr. Jennifer Jefferis; Professor Dr. Michael Sharnoff; Executive Officer Sam Marrero; Outreach and Alumni Coordinator Christopher Muller...
Indo-Pacific Minilateral Series: Maritime Security, the Indo-Pacific, and Advancing Maritime Domain Awareness Workshop
From 23–25 April 2024, the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies, along with the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS), conducted a workshop entitled "Maritime Security, the Indo-Pacific, and Advancing Maritime Domain Awareness" in...
International Military Officers’ Forum
From 1-5 November 2021, the NESA Center hosted foreign military officers assigned to U.S. Central Command in Tampa in Washington D.C. for an International Military Officers’ Forum titled “World Power Competition and Middle East Turmoil.” NESA Center experts, including Professor Dr. Richard...
Iraq Capstone and Iraq’s National Defense College Visit
On 20-24 September 2021, the NESA Center hosted a delegation from the Iraq Capstone and Iraq’s National Defense College for a five-day seminar series. Amidst the ongoing Iraq-United States Strategic Dialogue, the United States Department of Defense sought to provide its Iraqi counterparts with...
LTG Terry Wolff Completes Term as NESA Center Director
Last month, the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies bid farewell to outgoing Director LTG Terry Allen Wolff, USA (Ret.). LTG Wolff started at the NESA Center after previously serving as the Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5 for the Joint Staff. LTG Wolff was the...
Maritime Security Coordination and Countertrafficking Operations Issues
On 20 October 2021, the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA) conducted the Maritime Security Coordination and Countertrafficking Operations Issues virtual workshop in partnership with US Africa Command, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies (WJPC), the...
Middle East 2025 Workshop
From 25–26 March 2024, experts from the Qatar Armed Forces Strategic Studies Centre (QAFSSC) and the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies convened in Istanbul, Türkiye, for a series of comprehensive discussions. The discussions centered on defense, security, and the...
NESA (SSN)-AFRICOM-IEMed Human Security Approach for 2030 Workshop
From 10–11 January 2024, the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies/Strategic Studies Network (SSN), in partnership with U.S. Africa Command and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), conducted the 10th annual workshop entitled “NESA (SSN)-AFRICOM-IEMed Human...
Omani Chief of Staff Sultan Armed Forces Program
On 21 September 2023, the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies conducted a one-day program in Washington, D.C., with eight military officers from the Omani Chief of Staff Sultan Armed Forces. The day began with introductions and a welcome from NESA Center Acting Director COL David...
PMR Design for the Saudi Arabian National Defense University
On 30 September 2021, NESA Professors Dr. Michael Bell and Charles Marks delivered the preliminary design to transform the Saudi Armed Forces Command and Staff College into the Saudi Arabian National Defense University. The NESA team presented the details of the design to our partners at the...
Qatari Diplomatic Institute Virtual Seminar
From 08-10 November 2021, Dr. Gawdat Bahgat led the Qatari Diplomatic Institute Virtual Seminar to help foster a shared understanding of the evolving strategic landscape in the Middle East and promote mutual cooperation. The seminar was attended by over 100 officials from the Qatari Ministry...
Senior Executive Seminar “Nuclear Weapons Proliferation: Strategic Implications for the NESA Region”
From 20 September to 24 September, the NESA Center conducted a weeklong Senior Executive Seminar on the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and the strategic implications for the NESA region. Dr. Gawdat Bahgat, Dr. Hassan Abbas, and Dr. Richard Russell moderated discussions with...
The NESA Center Welcomes New Director Ambassador John Desrocher
We are delighted to welcome Ambassador John Desrocher as the new Director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. With 35 years of dedicated service in the U.S. Foreign Service, Ambassador Desrocher brings a wealth of experience from his assignments across North Africa, the...
Washington Embassy Orientation Seminar 01-22
From 18–22 October 2021, the NESA Center conducted the Washington Embassy Orientation, attended by diplomats and defense attachés from over nineteen countries. This week-long orientation, titled “Working in Washington,” featured a range of speakers, including diplomats, national security...
Washington Seminar – February 2024
On 14 February 2024, the NESA Center for Strategic Studies held a Washington Seminar Discussion at the Army-Navy Club in Washington, D.C. NESA Center Associate Professor Dr. Michael Sharnoff moderated a conversation between Hanin Ghaddar and David Makovsky, both...
Alumni Survey Report: Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has dealt yet another challenge with global economic and humanitarian repercussions. In April 2022, the NESA Center surveyed its global alumni network of almost 12,000 security professionals from more than 150 countries to assess the global impact of the invasion, as...