IIEA Talks

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Herman Van Rompuy 'Europe’s economic, political and geopolitical challenges' 30th of June 2022 Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

In the first episode of IIEA Insights David O'Sullivan, IIEA DG, interviews Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council (2009-2014). The discussion covers the multiple and overlapping challenges Europe now faces, from the war in Ukraine, to rising energy costs, a changing security landscape and the fresh impetus for enlargement.

Council of Europe Development Bank: Supporting Social Cohesion during Extraordinary Times Jul 08, 2022

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In this increasingly unpredictable, fragile and shock-prone international context, Governor Carlo Monticelli reflects on the role of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) in supporting its 42 member countries and in deepening social cohesion in Europe. On the eve of the Joint Annual Meeting of the CEB, which will be held in Dublin this year, Mr Monticelli reviews the bank’s primary features, responsibilities, and challenges, in conversation with IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan. About the Speaker: Carlo Monticelli was elected Governor of the CEB on 11 June 2021 after serving for six years as Vice-Governor for Financial Strategy. He began his five-year mandate on 18 December 2021. Before joining the CEB, Carlo Monticelli worked for more than a decade at the Italian Treasury, representing Italy in international fora and institutions, including at the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Carlo Monticelli served previously on the Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank and the Italian Export Credit Insurance Agency (SACE). Before joining the Treasury, Carlo Monticelli was Head of European Economics at Deutsche Bank, London, and Deputy Director in the Research Department at the Bank of Italy. Carlo Monticelli, holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Ancona and a M.Sc. in economics from the University of York, and he has carried out postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. He has been a visiting professor at the International Economics Department of the Graduate Institute in Geneva and a visiting scholar at MIT.

The 2nd Annual John Hume 'European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture Jul 07, 2022

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John Hume was a committed and dedicated European, seeing the institutions and ethos of the European Union as models for peace, partnership and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. The John Hume 'European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture recognises those who have demonstrated a strong commitment to European principles and values. The IIEA is honoured to host the second edition of the ‘European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture, which was delivered by Prof. Brigid Laffan. David O’Sullivan, Director General of the IIEA, delivered the Inaugural 'European Spirit of Peace’ Lecture in May 2021, and chairs this year’s event. About the Speaker: Brigid Laffan is Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute in Florence and was Director at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies until her retirement in August 2021. Previously, Prof. Laffan was Professor of European Politics at the School of Politics and International Relations (SPIRe) University College Dublin (UCD), and was Vice-President of UCD and Principal of the College of Human Sciences from 2004 to 2011. Prof. Laffan was the founding director of the Dublin European Institute at UCD from 1999 and in March 2004 she was elected as a member of the Royal Irish Academy. Professor Laffan is one of Ireland’s leading public intellectuals and a globally recognised expert on European politics.

The Role of the African Development Bank in Realising the Economic Opportunities of Africa Jul 02, 2022

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In his address to the IIEA, Dr Adesina discusses the role of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in supporting stability, growth and sustainable development on the African continent. He explores some of the opportunities and challenges which the AfDB presently faces, including food security, debt sustainability, climate change, and the financing gap. Dr Adesina highlights that such challenges can be overcome through enhanced crisis preparedness, the development of quality healthcare systems and infrastructure projects to strengthen the continent’s resilience. About the Speaker: Often described as “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief”, African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina is widely lauded for his visionary leadership and passion for Africa’s transformation. Dr Adesina was first elected President of the African Development Bank Group in 2015 and was unanimously re-elected for a second five-year term in 2020. A former Nigerian Minister for Agriculture, in 2017, Dr Adesina was conferred with the World Food Prize, also known as the “Nobel Prize for Agriculture”. With Dr Adesina at the helm, the African Development Bank Group achieved the highest capital increase since its establishment in 1964 and responded boldly and swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ireland joined the African Development Fund and the African Development Bank in 2020.

United Nations Peacekeeping: Challenges to Global Peace and the Path Ahead Jun 28, 2022

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2022 has seen a marked shift in the levels and severity of intra and interstate conflict. The security of many of the environments in which peacekeeping is deployed has deteriorated due to local and regional dynamics, and this has only been compounded by tensions within the permanent five of the Security Council. In his address to the IIEA, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix discusses the current state of UN Peacekeeping, the challenges it is facing and what more is needed to make the utmost of this unique multilateral tool. This Event is part of the Global Europe Project in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. About the Speaker: Jean-Pierre Lacroix was appointed as Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations in February 2017 by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. From 2014-2017 Mr. Lacroix served as Director for United Nations, International Organizations, Human Rights and Francophonie at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previous appointments include Ambassador of France to Sweden, Chief of Protocol of France, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York, Deputy Chief of Mission at the French Embassy in Prague and First Secretary then Second Counsellor at the French Embassy in Washington.

How can the EU engage in the information space in times of crisis? Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

The Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia and the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Ireland are pleased to present the public webinar How the EU engages in the Information space in times of crisis. Recent crises have underlined the importance for Europe of competing effectively in the information space, and highlighted the challenges it faces in doing so. In this webinar, an expert panel draws on recent experiences of crises to discuss how the EU and its Member States can project their perspectives in a contested information environment. This event is part of an IIEA project entitled Europe’s Digital Future. As part of the project, the IIEA has established a network of thinktanks and academic institutions to share research and perspectives on Europe’s digital future from across northern Europe. This project is coordinated by the IIEA and is supported by Google. About the Speakers: This event consists of an expert panel which includes the following speakers: Andrew Roberts, Cyber Security Specialist at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology Siim Kumpas, Policy Officer at the East StratCom Task Force, European External Action Service Lieutenant Colonel Dr Soenke Niedringhaus, NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence Markus Holmgren, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs – FIIA Dr Adrian Venables, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Digital Forensics and Cyber Security, TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology Dominika Jantas, Information Security Analysist at Eurofins

Ireland, Europe And The World In James Joyce's Ulysses Jun 15, 2022

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Ahead of Bloomsday on the 100th anniversary of Ulysses, and of Irish independence, this event explores the European and international dimensions of James Joyce’s novel and the myriad visions of Ireland’s place in the world, which then as now occurred during great turbulence and uncertainty in the world. This anniversary also marks 100 years of Irish independence, as well as 50 years since Irish accession to the European Union. About the Speakers: Anne Fogarty is Full Professor and Director of the Centre for James Joyce Studies at UCD, and an expert on the historical context of Ulysses and on 20th century Irish modernism and contemporary fiction. Her latest publication is on Modernism, Memory and the Biographical Impulse in James Joyce Remembered (2022 Edition). Daniel Mulhall is the current Ambassador of Ireland to the United States since 2017, and formerly served as Ambassador in London, as well as Director-General for European Affairs in the Department of Foreign Affairs. He is also an authority on Irish history and literature, having co-edited the The Shaping of Modern Ireland: A Centenary Assessment (2016) and written the recently published Ulysses: A Reader’s Odyssey (2022).

Rosemary DiCarlo - The UN's Peacebuilding Priorities in 2022 Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

In her address to the IIEA, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, discusses global peace and security issues. She gives an overview of her peace-making mandate, including the role of preventive diplomacy and peace-building activities in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia and the Americas. About the Speaker: Rosemary DiCarlo assumed the post of Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs in 2018. During her distinguished career with the United States Department of State, she served, among other functions, as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Prior assignments included Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Director for United Nations Affairs at the National Security Council in Washington, D.C.

Francis Fukuyama - Liberalism for the Twenty-First Century May 31, 2022

Show notes

According to Dr Fukuyama, liberalism is in a state of crisis and is facing increasing threats from authoritarianism, identity politics, social media, and a weakened free press the world over. In his address to the IIEA, Dr Fukuyama explores the roots of this crisis and makes the case for a revitalised liberalism for the twenty-first century. About the Speaker: Francis Fukuyama is Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. He has previously taught at John Hopkins University and George Mason University, alongside serving as a researcher at the RAND Corporation and Deputy Director for the State Department’s policy planning staff. Francis Fukuyama has written prolifically on this subject. His most recent book Liberalism and its Discontents was published on 17 March 2022 by Profile Books.

Building-up Irish Defence: The Commission on the Defence Forces May 31, 2022

Show notes

The global security environment is changing rapidly. Not only are the threats greater, but they are more complex and more kaleidoscopic. Climate change, Cyber-threats, terrorism, as well as a revanchist Russia have made the world a more dangerous place to live in. To meet these challenges, the Irish Defence Forces are playing greater variety of roles in order to protect the Irish state and serve on crisis management missions. On 9 February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces released its report examining the threats the Irish State will face, and made recommendations ranging from funding, and capability acquisition to strategic HR, on how to enhance the Defence Forces. This panel discusses the Irish threat environment and analyses the recommendations made by the Commission in its report. About the Speaker: Renata Dwan has been the Deputy Director and Senior Executive Officer of Chatham House since 2020. From 2018 until 2020, she was Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in Geneva. During her years in the UN, Dr Dwan worked on peace operations and complex emergencies in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mali and Syria. Ben Tonra is a professor of International Relations at UCD School of Politics and International Relations. There, Professor Tonra teaches, researches and publishes in European foreign, security and defence policy, Irish foreign, security and defence policy and International Relations theory.

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