In mid-November 2016, the Facultad de la Defensa Nacional (FADENA) of Argentina and the Perry Center delivered a first of a kind joint seminar entitled Futuros Inciertos y los Nuevos Imperativos de la Politica de Defensa (Uncertain Futures and New Defense Policy Imperatives). Held in Buenos Aires, the academic engagement brought together a select group of Argentine civil servants and officials from across the interagency.

The seminar, graciously co-hosted by the Universidad National de la Defensa, included conferences, panels, and small group discussions; didactic formats used to emphasize the importance of an open, thoughtful, and rigorous dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of the defense sector. Insightful discussions led to an assessment of the current and future strategic environments as well as the institutional and policy requirements to best address forthcoming challenges.

The event included notable contributions of renowned Argentine defense experts and the presence and leadership of Deputy Secretary Alejandro Gomez and Director Julio C. Spota. During a distinguished speaker session General John F. Kelly, USMC (ret.) provided his insights and vision on leadership for defense.

This joint academic effort was designed based on the vision of Argentine Vice Minister Angel Tello who, during a visit at the Ministry of Defense, underscored the value of collaborative educational projects towards a shared hemispheric understanding.

Headed by Director Mark S. Wilkins, the Perry Center’s trip to Argentina was a fruitful bilateral engagement that provided several opportunities to learn from and share experiences with important official and academic institutions. Among these, the Center’s faculty and staff attended a substantive exchange at the Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI) and were welcomed by Coronel Nestor Alfredo D’Ambra during a visit to the Centro Argentino de Entrenamiento Conjunto para Operaciones de Paz (CAECOPAZ).