The second session of the Riga Security Forum podcast delves into NATO's evolving partnerships with its southern neighbors and explores the Alliance’s broader role in addressing global security challenges. This discussion focuses on NATO’s proactive engagement in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel, regions marked by complex security dynamics yet offering vital opportunities for collaboration. Through these partnerships, NATO seeks to promote stability, security, and economic prosperity, addressing common concerns such as terrorism, migration, and resilience in the face of new and traditional threats. Joining the discussion is Javier Colomina, the Acting Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy and NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, who brings in-depth insights into NATO's strategies, priorities, and long-term vision for its partnerships in these regions. Moderated by Māris Andžāns, Director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies Riga. The Riga Security Forum 2024 is made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Baltic States, the Embassy of the United States of America in Riga, Patria (military services and solutions provider), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, and the Embassies of Poland, Canada, Spain, and the United Kingdom in Latvia. We are also proud to partner with the Riga Graduate School of Law. Our media partners for the forum are The Baltic Times, the Latvian unified news portal lsm.lv and TV4 Latvia.