Il primo Field Study del 131 Senior Course, dedicato allo scenario europeo é stato oggi inaugurato dal Capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa, Generale Claudio Graziano, con un intervento sulla politica di Difesa estera e di sicurezza italiana.
Il Comandante del Nato Defense College, Generale di C.A. Chris Whitecross, ha dato il benvenuto al Generale Graziano e alla delegazione italiana composta dal Maggior Generale Lorenzo D’Addario, in rappresentanza del Ministero della Difesa, dalla Consigliere d’Ambasciata Federica Favi, Primo Console del Ministero degli Affari Esteri e dal dottor Ezio Gaetano, direttore della Polizia di Stato, in rappresentanza del Ministero degli Interni.
Nel suo intervento, il Generale Graziano nel sottolineare i temi salienti dello scenario di sicurezza internazionale, quali il flusso migratorio, il terrorismo internazionale e il proliferare delle organizzazioni criminali, ha detto: “Tali minacce vanno affrontate simultaneamente e con l’impiego di tutti gli strumenti a disposizione”. Rispondendo ad alcune domande dei corsisti, a proposito del ruolo dell’Italia, il Capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa ha evidenziato come: “ La strategia italiana é focalizzata sulla regione del Mediterraneo per ragioni storiche e geografiche. In tutti I contesti internazionali e nazionali l’Italia promuove lo sviluppo di strategie che affrontino le sfide della sicurezza provenienti dal cosidetto ‘fianco Sud della Nato’ e dell’Europa, senza venire meno alle sue repsonsabilità quale membro attivo dell’Alleanza Atlantica in Europa Orientale”. Infine, il generale ha enfatizzato l’importante apporto dell’Italia per la costituzione del recente “Hub per il Sud della Nato” a Napoli, quale strumento di pianificazione e di implementazione di tutte le operazioni dell’area meridionale”.
Muovendo da diversi punti di vista, tutti gli oratori hanno sottolineato la forte complementarietà sussistente tra l’Unione Europea e la Nato. Secondo il Ministero degli Affari Esteri, tale complementarietà si rende necessaria per facilitare il continuo processo di adattamento in corso in seno alla Nato; in un’ottica militare, invece, essa ѐ necessaria per limitare le crisi odierne e prevenire quelle future; e secondo la Polizia, il binomio Ue-Nato deve servire per una migliore cooperazione tra Paesi ed un miglior sfruttamento dei mezzi a disposizione (Europol, Interpol) dell’Italia per affrontare le numerose sfide alla sicurezza.
Nel pomeriggio, i frequentatori del Senior Course hanno avuto l’occasione di visitare il Centro operativo interforze di Roma, potendo così avere un approccio diretto alla complessità multi-operativa delle forze armate italiane impegnate all’estero.
Il Nato Defense College organizza periodicamente attività di Field Study, dando modo ai frequentatori dei corsi di approfondire la conoscenza delle politiche per la sicurezza, le strutture e le istituzioni del settore della Difesa così come i governi e le istituzioni internazionali che se ne occupano, attraverso l’incontro con decision-maker nazionali, regionali e globali nei rispettivi Paesi e Quartier Generali.
The Italian CHOD opens the European Perspectives Field Study at the NATO Defense College
Senior Course 131’s first Field Study started in Rome on 2 October with excellent presentations from the Italian Chief of Defence (CHOD) General Claudio Graziano and from officials representing the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs and the Interior.
The Commandant of the NATO Defense College LtGen Chris Whitecross and the Senior Italian Representative welcomed the Senior Course and guests and the Commandant underlined the outstanding support given by Italy as Host Nation to the NATO Defense College.
General Claudio Graziano, Chief of the Italian Armed Forces, praised the Field Study Programme as a great opportunity for development and personal growth offered to Course Members, providing them with the chance to be in contact with different countries. He then spoke about the most pressing topics in international security: the migration flows from the Sahel, international terrorism and the proliferation of transnational criminal organizations. General Graziano stated that “this three dimensional approach needs to be simultaneously tackled and to do so we need all our capabilities in our hands”. In order to cope with these crises, General Graziano defended the role of international organizations (i.e. NATO, the EU and the UN) and stressed the importance of their cooperation to raise operational effectiveness. Touching upon Italy and its strategic posture, General Graziano underlined the priorities and main interests of the country, mentioning the daily communication on security between the different ministries . “Italian strategy”, – General Graziano stressed – “is focused on the Mediterranean for obvious historical and geographical reasons. In all international fora as well as in terms of domestic policy, Italy promotes the development of strategies dealing with the security challenges emerging from the so-called “Southern Flank” of NATO and Europe, without shirking its responsibility, as an active and engaged member of NATO, in Eastern Europe.”
He then described the concrete contributions made by Italy to international and also national operations, like the regional hub for the South, based at NATO’s Joint Forces Command in Naples. “Hub for the South is a key answer able to build a bridge with the MENA region. It has to be conceived of as a control room for planning and implementing all southern activities” the General stated. In his view, the hub represents another example of how Italy implements the strategy described in its White Book. At the end of his outstanding presentation he kindly answered questions from Course Members.
Continuing with the demonstration of whole of government efforts, Course Members heard presentations from Major General Lorenzo D’Addario, representing the MoD, Mrs Federica Favi, Embassy First Counselor of the MFA and Dott Ezio Gaetano from the State Police, working for the MoI. They all emphasized the necessary complementarity between the EU and NATO from their different perspectives. From the Foreign Affairs standpoint, this complementarity is necessary to fulfill the current process of adaptation in NATO; from the military perspective it is necessary to contain today’s crises and to prevent them in the future; and from the police perspective, to better cooperate and use the different instruments (Europol, Interpol) to address the different challenges Italy is facing too. The presentations were followed by a question and answer period.
In the afternoon, Course Members were invited to visit the Joint Operations Centre of the Armed Forces in Rome, and were able to appreciate the concrete operationalization of the morning’s briefings, i.e. multi-operational complexity.
Course Members enjoyed a very informative programme for the initial day of their first Field Study. Italy demonstrated the coherent and realistic approach adopted by all ministries, which is the result of a carefully drafted and implemented strategy.
The NATO Defense College organizes Field Studies so that Course Members can gain first-hand knowledge of security policies, structures, workings and functions of national defence establishments, governments and international organizations by meeting national, regional, and global decision-makers in their respective capitals and headquarters.
