Crisis areas: the Middle East and North Africa at the heart of HSSD’s Seminar 8
On 25 and 26 April 2025, the High Studies for Security and Defence (HSSD) devoted their eighth seminar to the major crisis areas of the Middle East and North Africa. Two days of conferences, debates and strategic reflection immersed the HSSD’s participants (‘auditors’) in some of the most complex geopolitical dynamics of our time.
An in-depth analysis of the hotspots
The seminar opened with a rich and contextualised presentation by Prof. Joël Kotek (ULB) on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Drawing on a detailed historical perspective, he enabled auditors to better understand the deep roots of a conflict that is central to contemporary international relations.
The next session, led by Dr Didier Leroy (researcher at the RHID’s Centre for Security and Defence Studies), explored the situation in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, three countries marked by decades of war, instability and interference, whose evolution remains decisive for the balance of the region.
Between law, geopolitics and energy security
The programme continued with a series of presentations on specific topics: Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy (Maj. Dr Luk Sanders, RHID), the legal issues of the Israel-Hamas conflict (Christian De Cock, VUB), and an analysis of Turkish foreign policy by Prof. Dries Lesage (UGent). These presentations highlighted the complexity of regional power relations and the risks of geopolitical contagion.
The geopolitical situation in North Africa, presented by Baudouin Loos (Le Soir), refocused the debate on the dynamics specific to the Maghreb, which are often influenced by tensions in the Middle East but also by local issues such as political transitions, insecurity and migration.
Finally, Dr Caroline Azad (ULB) concluded the series of presentations with an insider’s view of post-revolutionary Iran, a key player in the Middle East landscape.
An interactive seminar looking to the future
The ‘World Café’, the highlight of the seminar, allowed auditors to discuss key issues in small groups: Europe’s strategic autonomy, hybrid threats, the population explosion in Africa, the implementation of security policies and the 3D vision (diplomacy, defence, development). These discussions, led by high-level speakers such as Géraldine Georges, Christophe Colonval and Benoît Lemeunier, encouraged the sharing of experiences and forward-looking visions.
Strategic training that matches the challenges
This seminar perfectly illustrates the essence of the High Studies for Security and Defence: to provide current and future decision-makers with a comprehensive, critical and informed understanding of crisis areas and their implications for international security.
HSSD courses are aimed at high-level civilian and military profiles seeking to strengthen their strategic analysis skills. Each seminar is an opportunity to grapple with the complexity of the contemporary world and to develop innovative and collective responses to major security challenges. Would you like to find out more about HSSD courses or apply for the next session? Visit our official website.
