Events

Political communication is about credibility. Who says, what is said, in which frame, and to what audience. The art of creating an attentive room, bringing together the right partners, to engage the right audience requires mistakes. I have made all of them, so you don’t have to.

Report Launch: Radicalisation in the Sahel, October 8, Paris, Ecole Militaire

October, 2020

She is not for Sale (Documentary)

Oct, 2019

In July 2019, I was asked to contribute to the dissemination of a documentary that unveils an ugly and profitable trade. In the European day against trafficking, on October 18, the film’s debut was on Greek Hellenic Parliament TV.

Stalemate in Libya: what more should be done to support a political solution ?

July 16, 2019

Following-up on the organization of a fact-finding mission in Libya, ICRD wanted to create a forum in which to discuss the missions’ findings, ensuring maximum dissemination and exploitation. Given the scope and ambition of this event, there was no more appropriate partner than CEPS, one of the top ten non-US think tanks in the world. The event bolstered the corporate outlook of ICRD, attracting the engagement of the European Commission, the Libyan government, NATO, and private corporates at Europe’s political capital.

Libya remains a country of considerable interest and concern for the EU and its member states. The interests, apart from oil, include the stability of the country as a bulwark against illegal migration and jihadist forces operating on its southern border and ISIS remnants within the country, who remain a danger. The concerns include the ongoing conflict between the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), currently under siege in Tripoli by the ‘Libyan National Army’ led by Khalifa Haftar who has de facto support from the House of representatives (HOR) based in the East of the country.

While all pay lip service to the UN-led peace and reconciliation efforts, EU member states (and NATO) are divided in their approach on the ground. Italy is keen to prevent any illegal migration and works with the GNA to that end. France has troops across the border in the Sahel and maintains contacts with both sides. The Arab world is also divided, with some backing the ‘strongman’ stance of Haftar, others the GNA. The US has largely taken a back seat, though Donald Trump has expressed his sympathy for Haftar. The focus of the panel discussion will be on the current situation in Libya, the views of the EU and its member states, and what more could and should be done to support a political solution and the building of a civil state in the country.

Moderator: Amb. James Moran, Associate Senior Research Fellow, CEPS

With the support of ICRD.

Fact-finding Mission to Libya

July 10-09-08, 2019

As the siege of Tripoli reached its first month, I received a call asking me to recruit a pan-European team of politicians, area-study experts, and journalists from across Europe, willing to go to a war zone.

The International Fact-Finding Mission to Libya (IFML) brought together a wide range of geopolitical experts from European think tanks and academia, former and acting policymakers, and journalists covering MENA affairs and specifically Libya from 10 European countries: France, Italy, United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Hungary.

Instability and distrust in the Gulf region: How to rebuild trust ?

May 29, 2019

Following the murder of Washington Post Journalist Jamal Kashoggi and a widening rift between transatlantic partners in their Gulf Policy, the UK-based TACTICS institute wanted to engage in a high-impact discussion that will engage France, one of the two major military powers in Europe. Finding the speaker, selecting the venue, and framing the discussion kicked off not only a constructive discussion but also a partnership with a highly influential Paris-based think-tank IPSE.

The working breakfast took place at at the Salon Pourpe at the Palais du Luxembourg and was led by Senator Jean-Marie Bockel, former minister and president of the France-Gulf friendship group in the Senate. Tactics Institute hosted the event jointly, with the Institute for European Perspective and Security (l’IPSE), chaired by Emmanuel Dupuy, co-organised. The keynote speaker was Professor Joseph Bahout, a non-resident fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Middle East Program, Washington) and concluded with several proposals aimed at reaffirming the need to avoid a military escalation in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East region.

Migration and & European Elections: Media Responsibility

April 18, 2019

Days before Europeans go to the polls, as anti-immigration parties are surging on the polls, migrant season begins. The summer is nearing and the boats take to the water to create a toxic mix of electioneering and human suffering. In this context, I was asked to bring together an informed audience, at the epicentre of the previous refugee crisis, in Athens.

As the Libyan government is under siege and migratory routes to Europe are redrawn, the London-based Institute for International Center for Relations and Diplomacy (ICRD) and the International Migration Network (IMN, Athens) organized in Athens a seminar devoted to the toxic alignment of migration coverage and elections on Thursday.While all pay lip service to the UN-led peace and reconciliation efforts, EU member states (and NATO) are divided in their approach on the ground. Italy is keen to prevent any illegal migration and works with the GNA to that end. France has troops across the border in the Sahel and maintains contacts with both sides. The Arab world is also divided, with some backing the ‘strongman’ stance of Haftar, others the GNA. The US has largely taken a back seat, though Donald Trump has expressed his sympathy for Haftar. The focus of the panel discussion will be on the current situation in Libya, the views of the EU and its member states, and what more could and should be done to support a political solution and the building of a civil state in the country.

Moderator: Amb. James Moran, Associate Senior Research Fellow, CEPS

With the support of ICRD.

Anaklia, the Gdynia of the Black Sea

March 25, 2019

One year before opening its doors to the world, I am asked to organise an event that will turn the Polish gaze to Georgia. Aspiring to be a project of global significance, it is clear that Anaklia needs to create an appropriate narrative that captures the mind and imagination of Poland, the biggest logistics hub in Eastern Europe. The question then becomes who is your partner, what is the right venue, how do you frame the discussion and exploit it to capture the attention of the sh government and corporate stakeholders.

A corporate event took place on March 25, 2019, in Sheraton Hotel, Warsaw. The objective was to introduce the unique role of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port and the role of Anaklia City in bridging Central Asia to Europe. The event featured presentations, B2B meetings and extensive Q&A sessions.

Event video can be found here.

The event has significant coverage and attracted more than 50 logistics, manufacturing, and key government stakeholders. Article on ipolska24.pl and thenews.pl

This was followed by a targeted academic event, targeting policy makers and members of the thing tank community.