Murilo Gomes da Costa, researcher at the Institute of Social and Political Studies – State University of Rio de Janeiro (IESP-UERJ), and Andreas Østhagen, researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, are the winners of the 2nd edition of the FLAD Atlantic Security Award. Researchers will receive €20,000 each to develop research projects under current security and defence challenges in the Atlantic area.

The FLAD Atlantic Security Award is a partnership between FLAD, the Atlantic Center and the National Defense Institute, which aims to stimulate and distinguish research of excellence in the themes of Security and Defense in the Atlantic.

The award is annual and distinguishes two proposals of high scientific merit dedicated to these themes. The winners receive funding of 20,000 euros to develop their projects between March and December 2023.

Murilo Gomes da Costa will develop a project within the framework of international development cooperation, with the aim of analyzing the potential of defense cooperation in the South Atlantic and how these initiatives may affect the rapprochement between the European extraregional powers – France, Portugal and Sweden – and the other States located in the South Atlantic, with emphasis on Brazil, but also on the African continent.

Andreas Østhagen, a researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, will develop a project on links between the Arctic and North Atlantic in the debate on security issues, with the aim of developing academic debate on geopolitical and security issues in the Arctic and Atlantic circles, and to produce clear recommendations on how to develop regional security cooperation.

The FLAD Atlantic Security Award is an annual award, resulting from the partnership between FLAD and the Atlantic Center. Applications are open to people of all nationalities. In one of the scholarships is given preference to a candidate Portuguese.

Atlantic Center its an iniative of the Portuguese Government, developed by the Ministry of Defense, dedicated to promote security and cooperation across the Atlantic and it’s open to the participation of all States and multilateral instituions of this regions. It’s activities are centered around political dialogue, scientific research and defense capacity building.

The National Defense Institute (IDN) has as its main mission the support for the formulation of national strategic thinking, ensuring the study, investigation and dissemination of security and defense issues. The National Defense Institute is a part of the Ministry of Defense since 1982, and has scientific, pedagogical and administrative autonomy.