The opening ceremony was attended by Jean Dionis du Séjour, Mayor of Agen, with speeches by Air Corps General Stéphane Groën, Commander of the South-West Defence and Security Zone, and Sub-Prefect Jean-Michel Delvert, representing Lieutenant General Hervé de Courrèges, Director of the IHEDN.
The auditors began their tour with visits illustrating key challenges for national sovereignty. At the Agropole in Agen, they discovered the challenges of food autonomy. At the UPSA plant, the focus was on the sovereign production of medicines in a post-health crisis context. Finally, at the École nationale de l'administration pénitentiaire (ENAP), they deepened their understanding of prison missions, with a talk by Olivier Naboulet, the public prosecutor in Agen, on the current challenges facing the French justice system.
At the 48ᵉ Régiment de transmission in Agen, participants attended lectures on the organisation of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, French defence strategy and global security issues. These discussions, led by high-ranking military officials, gave rise to enriching debates and encouraged collective reflection.
To round off this intense first week, the auditors were welcomed to the Lot-et-Garonne prefecture by the prefecture's secretary general, Agen sub-prefect Cédric Bouet, representing prefect Daniel Barnier. He praised their commitment and reminded them of the importance of defence and security issues in a complex international context.
The work of the committees, fed by the visits and conferences, will continue throughout the four weeks of training. They will provide an in-depth analysis of defence and security issues at regional, national and international levels, using IHEDN's own strategic methodology.
This first week laid the foundations for a stimulating dynamic, marked by exchange, learning and mutual enrichment, and perfectly illustrates IHEDN's mission: to train, federate and decompartmentalise in order to meet France's contemporary strategic challenges.
