The Marshall Center continued its Countering Transnational Organized Crime Strategic Engagement Series with a virtual discussion in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, March 18, 2026, focused on the intersection of conflict, war, and illicit markets.
“The opportunity to engage the network on a regular basis keeps us at the forefront of evolving security challenges,” said Cüneyt Gürer, Ph.D., Marshall Center professor. “This session focused on the critical intersection of illicit trade and conflict, highlighting how illicit markets degrade the security of supply chains, sustain prolonged conflicts through off-budget funding, and link criminal, insurgent, and terrorist networks.”
The panel, which included Gürer, U.S. Army Col. Barbara Fick, Marshall Center director of plans and strategy, and Christian Vianna de Azevedo, Ph.D., under secretary at Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security, provided complementary perspectives to the discussion.
As an ongoing platform for engagement, the Marshall Center virtual engagement series enables security professionals to remain connected, analyze emerging security trends, and exchange insights that translate analysis into practical understanding.