Professors bring geopolitical insight to Azerbaijan

Three professors recently brought an intensive, week-long look at global strategic challenges to security sector officials in Baku, Azerbaijan as part of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies Regional Education Team initiative.

The trip was put together after a request from Ambassador Hafiz M. Pashayev, the rector of the Azeri Diplomatic Academy and former ambassador to the United States.

Professors Dr. Dragan Lozancic, Nick Pratt and Marine COL James Howcroft went to Baku in late April to deliver a series of lectures on the theme "Current Geo-Strategic Challenges" to 32 Azeri security officials from 7 ministries and agencies.?  Most of the lectures were drawn from the Marshall Center's residential programs, the Program in Advanced Security Studies and the Program in Terrorism and Security Studies. The team modified them to give the Azerbaijanis a global and Eurasian overview, along with a tightly focused look at how the topics are relevant in the Caucasus and Azerbaijan.

The effort was a success, in large part because the Azeri government worked hard to make sure it was, Howcroft said.

"The Azeris did a superb job in the planning, organization and conduct of the event. It was the most professional and well organized multinational event hosted by a government in the Caucasus that I have participated in during 14 years working in the region," he said.

Faster than normal planning and organization was also required to make the education effort work, according to Howcroft.

"Ambassador Pashayev's February request was, as he asked, accomplished in April. This was despite a U.S. budgeting and programming system that requires project submissions 15 months ahead of time. Continued flexibility in aligning resources with requirements is key to meeting the expectations of our global security partners."

Azerbaijan could be a partner of growing importance in a region with on-going security problems, he added.

"Ambassador Pashayev has been given the mission of creating a graduate level educational program within Azerbaijan for Azeri officials, as well as for officials from countries within the region," Howcroft explained. "The Azeris see that they have a future role to play as a bridge between the cultures and politics of the West, Central Asia and the Middle East.?  We should support this ambition."

By Joseph Ferrare, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

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