Regardless of the course they attend (national session, regional sessions, international sessions, youth or economic intelligence cycles, etc.), all IHEDN auditors experience the educational triptych in force at the Institute, by taking part in :
- high-level conferences;
- site visits;
- committee work.
They are therefore a highlight of any IHEDN training programme, especially since the best reports are intended to provide public authorities with food for thought. With this in mind, the auditors draw up a strategy for France in a specific area, based on a forward-looking analysis and accompanied by operational recommendations.
The topics proposed to listeners of the 4e national session (SN4, 2024-25) were based on the following themes annual study theme entitled "France and the challenge of strategic change. Divided into four cross-cutting themes (alliances and partnerships, resources and organisations, access to resources and technologies, resilience of societies), and then discussed within each committee, they have made it possible to lay the foundations for an overall strategy.
The 23 SN4 committees formulated a total of 133 recommendations, broken down into a large number of concrete actions and set out in detailed roadmaps.. To achieve this result, the auditors studied the literature on the subject of their committee and spoke to numerous experts and authorities in the field concerned. Depending on the major, a tutor or/and a referee expert supported the auditors' reflections by contributing his or her experience and expertise.
Reflecting the diversity of the IHEDN national session (executives from the private sector or the civil service, officers from the various armies and services, armaments engineers, opinion leaders, etc.), each of these committees is made up of a dozen auditors and meets regularly throughout the session (from September to June for the SN). Duly sourced and referenced, their report (between 50 and 100 pages long) is presented at the end of the year to a jury made up of representatives of the IHEDN management and authorities concerned by the topic in question.
This year, committee reports have just been sent to the Directorate-General for Enterprise (DGE) of the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, at the General Secretariat for Investment and General Secretariat for the Sea (interdepartmental bodies under the authority of the Prime Minister), the Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economythe Directorate-General for Overseas France, à the French Navy staff...
Here is a summary of a committee report and its recommendations for each of the five majors in the national session.
Armament and Defence Economics (AED) major
Committee 4 of the AED major worked on economic intelligence (EI), alternatively presented as "a dynamic, a culture, a method, a way of thinking and acting, an approach", which helps defend the State's strategic interests. Given the global economic war that is already underway, and the fact that the national system is very much focused on defensive EI to the detriment of the offensive aspect, which has long been taboo, the committee has chosen todevelop an offensive EI strategy, now unavoidable in the global context of uninhibited power relations.
In addition to optimising a French team at European level and improving inter-ministerial coordination, the committee recommends strengthening the legal, financial and economic arsenal to defend European interests, and French interests in particular, against our foreign competitors. With this in minda strategy of extraterritoriality could be a particularly effective tool of economic warfareIt would enable the European Union to catch up with its main competitors and play on an equal footing in the current fierce economic war.
The committee therefore recommends that a working group be set up at European level, and that an OFAC-type body be created. (l'Office of Foreign Assets Controlwhich is part of the U.S. Treasury Department, is a body for the financial control of foreign assets). Such a tool, with sufficient resources, would enable European international sanctions in the financial field to be enforced.
At the same time, it is recommended that the European internal market be closed to companies that do not comply with EU lawIn addition, extending the criteria for compliance with European law would represent an important lever vis-à-vis our competitors. In addition, extending the criteria for compliance with European law would represent an important lever vis-à-vis our competitors. Finally, it is suggested that reputational measures be applied (in addition to sanctions), with a view to name and shameIn addition, the European Commission will take action against any company from a third country that does not comply with EU law.
Such a strategy of extraterritoriality presupposes a profound paradigm shift on the part of the French and European elites.The committee's recommendations were convincing, articulated in a precise and realistic strategy. The committee convinced the jury with these recommendations, which are operationally articulated in a precise and realistic strategy that goes beyond current work on EI, which is considered too academic.
Defence and Economic Security (DSE) major
Committee 4 of the DSE major notes thatwhen it comes to economic resilience and the contribution of businesses, the precondition for any public policy is to ensure the EU's autonomy and competitiveness.
On this basis, which he assumes to be a given, he mainly proposes a ambitious systemic approach at EU level to encourage companies to build their resilience: the introduction of a Corporate Resilience Act (CRA, Business Resilience Act). In return for commitments to identify risks and map dependencies, and to define and implement an adaptation and transformation strategy, companies would have access to dedicated European funding.
This CRA would replace the Directive on the duty of care of companies with regard to sustainability (CS3D) and the Directive on the publication of sustainability information by companies (CSRD), thus giving priority to economic survival over important but less vital considerations. The committee recommends other, smaller-scale measures, such as the creation of sectoral and territorial resilience clusters or the over-amortisation of stocks.
Maritime Issues and Strategies Major (ESM)
Committee 2 of the ESM major proposes a national strategy called Éperon, aimed at exploring, preserving and, if necessary, exploiting marine resources. Against a backdrop of growing interest in the seabed and technological breakthroughs, one of their recommendations calls for a "dual approach to knowledge of the seabed", so as to be able to protect it more effectively and, to some extent, exploit it.
The dual approach to data collection would thus be carried out in a "spirit of civil-military complementarity and information sharing".. A number of players are already involved in understanding these areas, in particular the French Navy as part of the national deep seabed strategy (MFM), but also the French National Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM) and major French industrial groups such as Orange and RTE.
However, the large number of players in the field means that objectives and working methods diverge, and there is even a reluctance to share the data collected: The recommendation therefore calls for the governance of the data needed to understand the seabed.This governance could be based on the "deep seabed" centre of excellence. This governance could be based on the "deep seabed" centre of excellence, the creation of which was recommended by the National Assembly's 2022 flash report and included in the MFM strategy. This centre of excellence would make it possible to clarify the scope of the data concerned by the governance of the SGMer and the rules for sharing data, while strengthening exchanges between public and private players in the field.
Defence Policy Major (POLDEF)
Committee 3 of the POLDEF major worked on France's alliance strategy. Their reflections led to a reorganisation of strategic relations in Europe and within NATObut above all it has given rise to original thinking on a global scale, with selected alliances around concrete issues.
They proposed todeepening military ties with the Middle East with "The creation of a naval academy in Qatar, a Saint-Cyr military academy in Iraq and an air force academy in Abu Dhabi. ". These French-labelled establishments would enable French strategic concepts to be disseminated, thereby consolidating its influence in the long term. They also imagined the creation of a bi-national France-Brazil naval forceThis idea could be replicated or extended to other countries.
Finally, they suggesteddeepening the strategic relationship with Indonesia by stationing forces there. This base was presented as "the missing link to 'connect' metropolitan France, the French Forces in the United Arab Emirates and the Armed Forces in New Caledonia". This committee convinced the jury with its ability to articulate a global vision and tactical plan, making their report a genuine exercise in strategic thinking.
Digital Sovereignty and Cybersecurity major (SNC)
Committee 1 of the CNS major proposes an action plan to achieve an autonomous quantum computing capability by 2040.
Based on a comprehensive mapping of French and European expertise and initiatives, the aim is to control critical components in the quantum computer value chainThis is done on a national basis or through public and private partnerships.
The action plan is based on a timetable coordinated, among other things, with that of the update of the European Commission's strategic plan and is broken down into 5 main actions, including :
- A " Quantum for good "(science, health...)
- Setting up a "Quantum Hub" (coordinating players, attracting and retaining talent, etc.)
- An initiative " Quantum Start-up for Defence "Europe-wide
- Structuring a "quantum Airbus" for European industrialisation and global leadership.
