Combating Transnational Threats Senior Executive Seminar

21–25 March 2022, the Near East South Asia Center (NESA) hosted a Combating Transnational Threats Senior Executive Seminar (CTSES) titled “The Importance of Non-State Actors.” The seminar started off with an introduction and welcome from Course Director and NESA Center Professor Dr. Gawdat Bahgat, NESA Center Academic Dean Dr. Roger Kangas, and NESA Center Director LTG Terry A. Wolff, USA (Ret.).

The five-day virtual seminar focused on understanding the important role non-state actors play in shaping the life of ordinary people around the world, analyzing the role free press plays in all societies, and how to fight corruption and promote good governance. The seminar also examined the global economic system, the war on terrorism, the role private firms play in shaping the political agenda, and religious organizations’ efforts in promoting human aid. There were ten sessions that began with a speaker presentation and closed with an open discussion held under Chatham House rule. Discussion sessions were moderated by Dr. Gawdat Bahgat, NESA Center Professor Minister Ali Jalali, and NESA Center Professor Dr. Richard Russell. The CTSES engaged with 38 participants from 19 countries.

Speakers from the top left: Dr. Gawdat Bahgat (Course Director and Professor, NESA Center), Dr. Roger Kangas (Academic Dean, NESA Center), LTG Terry A. Wolff, USA (Ret.) (Director, NESA Center), Minister Ali Jalali (Professor, NESA Center), Dr. Daniel L. Byman (Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution and Professor at Georgetown University), Dr. Margaret Smith (Modern War Institute at West Point), Jason Atwell (Senior Intelligence Advisor, Mandiant), Ron Bushar (Senior Vice President, Mandiant), Rodrigo Garcia-Verdu (Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund), Dr. Richard Russell (Professor, NESA Center), Robert Mahoney (Executive Director, Committee to Protect Journalists), Anne-Sophie Corbeau (Global Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University), Gary Kalman (Director, U.S. Office of Transparency International), Aaron David Miller (Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Dr. Anthony Monaco (President, Tufts University)

 

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