Annual strategic exercise 'Decision Making-13' begins at NDC

Muscat: The annual strategic exercise “Decision Making-13” began today in the National Defence College (NDC) at the Academy for Strategic and Defence Studies.

The exercise is executed by participants of the 13th course from various military, security, and civil units, in the presence of a number of experts and advisors from military and security bodies, ministries, government authorities, and the directing staff of the National Defence College. Its activities will continue until 7 July.

Decision Making-13 is a result of the knowledge and intellectual output acquired by the participants during the course. It serves as a practical translation of theoretical and academic knowledge and programs in the field of strategic studies, which incorporate the latest training techniques at the national, regional, and international levels, as well as a translation of academic skills and theoretical programs within the general curriculum plan and academic courses of the term.

Rear Admiral Ali Abdullah Al Shidi, Commandant of the National Defence College and Exercise Director, welcomed the representatives of the entities participating in the exercise. He emphasized the importance of benefiting from the course of the exercise, handling the included strategic issues and events optimally, and applying the required procedures and strategies that the participants received during the period of the 13th National Defence course.

The “Decision Making-13” exercise aims to enrich the participants' intellect in the field of decision-making at the strategic level, analyze prominent strategic issues within hypothetical events, achieve balance in utilizing the elements of state power to attain national interests, and create harmony in using international power instruments, alongside developing strategic thinking through the use of strategic analysis tools.

Rear Admiral Ali Abdullah Al Shidi, Commandant of the National Defence College and Exercise Director, stated: "The “Decision Making-13” exercise represents the most critical practical phase in the course's academic program, as it translates the knowledge and skills acquired by the participants in the fields of strategic analysis and decision-making into practical applications within a training environment that simulates contemporary challenges and variables. The exercise also contributes to developing the capability to assess situations, anticipate repercussions, and coordinate efforts among various state institutions, thereby enhancing institutional integration and consolidating the foundations of sound strategic decision-making to serve national interests."