Event time: 12/02/2021 8:00 am - 12/02/2021 8:00 pm
Short description: International Conference – Webinar
“Middle East and North Africa: The Changes for a New Beginning” is an event organized by Bucharest-based think-tanks MEPEI (Middle East Political and Economic Institute) and EuroDefense Romania in partnership with IPIS (the Institute for Political and International Studies), Tehran, and with special support of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Romania.
MEPEI the seventh annual conference will assess with the assistance of relevant scholars and practitioners the dynamic shifts in power and alliances in this volatile environment. The speakers will address the new transformations at the global level, the reverberations of a large-scale crisis in Afghanistan, energy and geopolitical influence for global, regional, and emergent players, the economic setbacks in the Middle East, with an accent on the crisis in Lebanon, economic resilience under the sanctions’ regime, assessing the case of Iran, and the engagement of the European Union with the Middle East and North Africa region.
The Conference addresses elements of novelty in terms of the security environment, the political engagement of world and regional players, and economic challenges in the Middle East (in a broad understanding). The arena of great powers is facing new provocations as the United States is diminishing its presence in the region, amid a withdrawal from Afghanistan, whereas Russia is evoking a more prominent role and a rising China is gaining more influence through diplomatic, military, and economic means.
The webinar invited speakers are experts from Afghanistan, Austria, China, Hungary, Lebanon, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Palestine, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Syria, Turkey, UK, USA, and so on.
The webinar brings together diplomats, officials, academics, business leaders, politicians, as well as independent researchers, think-tank representatives, journalists, and other civil society representatives.
Working language: English (no translation).
Time zone: Bucharest, Romania.
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cm4uVv5oS-aYHoqmkf9NeA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
“Middle East and North Africa: The Changes for a New Beginning” is an event organized by Bucharest-based think-tanks MEPEI (Middle East Political and Economic Institute) and EuroDefense Romania in partnership with IPIS (the Institute for Political and International Studies), Tehran, and with special support of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Romania.
MEPEI the seventh annual conference will assess with the assistance of relevant scholars and practitioners the dynamic shifts in power and alliances in this volatile environment. The speakers will address the new transformations at the global level, the reverberations of a large-scale crisis in Afghanistan, energy and geopolitical influence for global, regional, and emergent players, the economic setbacks in the Middle East, with an accent on the crisis in Lebanon, economic resilience under the sanctions’ regime, assessing the case of Iran, and the engagement of the European Union with the Middle East and North Africa region.
The Conference addresses elements of novelty in terms of the security environment, the political engagement of world and regional players, and economic challenges in the Middle East (in a broad understanding). The arena of great powers is facing new provocations as the United States is diminishing its presence in the region, amid a withdrawal from Afghanistan, whereas Russia is evoking a more prominent role and a rising China is gaining more influence through diplomatic, military, and economic means.
The webinar invited speakers are experts from Afghanistan, Austria, China, Hungary, Lebanon, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Palestine, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Syria, Turkey, UK, USA, and so on.
The webinar brings together diplomats, officials, academics, business leaders, politicians, as well as independent researchers, think-tank representatives, journalists, and other civil society representatives.
Working language: English (no translation).
Time zone: Bucharest, Romania.
| 08:00 – 09:00 | Establishing the Web connection |
| 09:00 – 09:15 | Opening Remarks |
| Mr. Flavius CABA-MARIA, President of MEPEI, Bucharest, Romania
HE Dr. Seyed Hossein Sadat MEIDANI, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Romania Dr. Liviu MUREŞAN, President, EuroDefense Romania |
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| 09:15 – 10:15 | Keynote Speeches |
| HE Dr. Muhammad Hassan Shaykh al-ISLAMI, President of Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, MoFA, the Islamic Republic of Iran | |
| HE Dr. Werner FASSLABEND, President, the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), President EuroDefense Austria, and Former Minister of Defense of Austria (1990-2000), Austria | |
| HE Prof. Dr. Anis H. BAJREKTAREVIC, International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), IFIMES Permanent Representation to Austria and Vienna-based IOs
Prof. Teodor MELEȘCANU, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Romania Prof. Adrian SEVERIN, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Romania |
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| 10:15 – 11:20 | Session I: Power Games towards a New Security Architecture in the MENA Region |
| The panel will cover salient issues for a transforming security structure of a key region of the world. It will investigate how the rivalry of great powers, combined with the already existing regional rifts between Iran, Saudi Arabia, the rise of Turkey’s engagement with the region, and Israel’s role, have all contributed to the creation of a new security architecture.
Chair: Dr. Liviu MUREŞAN, President, EuroDefense Romania Speakers: Prof. Kayhan BARZEGAR, Senior Academic Advisor at MoFA, Professor at the Islamic Azad University / Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Basam ABOABDOLAH, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Central School of the Ba’ath Party, the Syrian Arab Republic Dr. Konstantin TRUEVTSEV, Leading Research Fellow, Center for Arab and Islamic Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Federation Dr. Qin TIAN, Assistant Director of Institute of Middle East Studies, CICIR (China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations), the People’s Republic of China Dr. Nicola PEDDE, Director of Institute for Global Studies and Research Director for the Middle East at the Military Center for Strategic Studies, Ministry of Defense, Rome, Italy Dr. Șaban KARDAS, Associate Prof. Department of Political Science and International Relations, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, the Republic of Turkey Prof. Davood KIANI, the Islamic Azad University, Vice President at the Institute of Iran and Eurasia Studies (IRAS), the Islamic Republic of Iran Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
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| 11:20 – 11:30 | Coffee Break |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Session II: Afghanistan – New Power Games and Security Dilemmas |
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In the current context, Afghanistan could mean that it will stand for an arena where the emerging Asian power rivalry is racing in the aftermath of Washington’s decision to withdraw. The panel will think about whether is possible to avoid a collapse from a security and economic point of views while reflecting on ways to navigate away from the ill-fated condition.
Chair: Prof. Kayhan BARZEGAR, Senior Academic Advisor at MoFA, Professor at the Islamic Azad University / Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran Speakers: Gen. Carlos BRANCO, Former Director of the War College and Defense Research Center, the Portuguese Institute of International Relations, Portugal Dr. Amina KHAN, Director Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa, the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI), Islamabad, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Dr. Hekmatullah AZAMY, Research Fellow, the Nordic Counter Terrorism Network, Finland, Former National Security Advisor to President Ashraf Ghani, Deputy Director of Center for Peace and Conflict Studies Afghanistan Prof. Silviu NATE, Director of the Global Studies Center, “Lucian Blaga” University, Sibiu, Romania HE Dr. Hossein Molla ABDOLLAHI, Senior Expert, IPIS, Former Ambassador to Serbia, the Islamic Republic of Iran Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Session III: Emerging Presence of the New Actors in the Middle East |
| The session focuses on the prolonged consequences of the Arab Uprisings, the decline of the post-Cold War order, and increasing global rivalry between the world powers, which have all offered an increased role to regionalism. In this context, new actors have emerged, such as entities engaging in regional axes of collaboration and external players, namely Asian powers, such as Japan, South Korea or Singapore (largely holding economic interests in mind). Together with the increased interest of Asian powers towards the Middle East, we note the ever-growing influence of China with its long-term strategy for development, entitled the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which gives a new dimension to reciprocal interaction in the MENA region.
Chair: Prof. Davood KIANI, the Islamic Azad University, Vice President at the Institute of Iran and Eurasia Studies (IRAS), the Islamic Republic of Iran Keynote speakers: HE Dr. Dato’ Ku Jaafar Ku SHAARI, Secretary General Developing 8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), Malaysia HE Mr. Viorel ISTICIOAIA-BUDURA, Former Ambassador of Romania to People’s Republic of China, Former Head of the European Union Delegation to Japan, Managing Director, Head of Asia and Pacific Department, European External Action Service, Romania Speakers: Dr. YAO JINXIANG, Assistant Research Fellow, Department for Developing Countries Studies, CIIS (China Institute of International Studies), the People’s Republic of China Prof. Selçuk ÇOLAKOĞLU, Globalization and Development Programme, Division of Humanities and Social Sciences (DHSS), Beijing Normal University – Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, the People’s Republic of China Prof. Ecaterina MAȚOI, Program Director at MEPEI, Lecturer at the Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Department of Basel University, Switzerland Dr. Muhammad Taimur Fahad KHAN, Research Associate, the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI), Islamabad, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
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| 13:30 – 14:15 | Lunch Break |
| 14:15 – 15:30 | Session IV: China in the Middle East. The New World Power on the Scene in the Great Game of International Relations |
| This session focuses on the way China has significantly increased its economic, political, and secondarily a security footprint in the Middle East during the past year, marking its entrance to a Great Game of International Relations. China’s engaging with the Middle East focuses mostly on its own need for energy supplies and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Chair: HE Mr. Viorel ISTICIOAIA-BUDURA, Former Ambassador of Romania to People’s Republic of China, Former Head of the European Union Delegation to Japan, Managing Director, Head of Asia and Pacific Department, European External Action Service, Romania Speakers: Prof. Tugrul KESKIN, Director Center for Global Governance, Institute of Global Studies, Shanghai University Prof. Erzsebet N. ROZSA, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of World Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary Prof. Zeno LEONI, Lecturer in War Studies, Defense Studies Department/Defense Academy UK, Affiliate – Lau China Institute, King’s College London, the United Kingdom Dr. Khalil SHIRGHOLAMI, Senior Expert, IPIS, the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Li ZIXIN, Assistant Research Fellow, Department for Developing Countries Studies, CIIS (China Institute of International Studies), the People’s Republic of China Dr. Robert MOGIELNICKI, Senior Resident Scholar, the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW), USA Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
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| 15:30 – 16:30 | Session V: Lebanon at Crossroads: Politics and Economics in the Wake of a Decisive Social Crisis |
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This panel addresses the economic challenges of Lebanon. After an awful tragedy in August 2020, Lebanon hangs in bearing bigger questions about how many shocks such fragile, vulnerable countries can absorb? Is there a way out for the small Mediterranean state that lies in the middle of one of the worst economic crises, political deadlock, and social divisions? The speakers will try to come up with solutions that could ensure the future continuation of the Levantine society.
Chair: Mr. Flavius CABA-MARIA, President of MEPEI, Bucharest, Romania Speakers: Prof. Laura SAYAH, Beirut Arab University, La Sagesse University and Lebanese University, the Republic of Lebanon Dr. Abdul Halim FADLALLAH, Chairman, the Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation, Beirut, the Republic of Lebanon Dr. Mojtaba FERDOWSIPOUR, Senior Expert, IPIS, the Islamic Republic of Iran Mr. Emiliano STORNELLI, Charmain and Founder, Religion and Security Council, Rome, Italy Dr. Corneliu PIVARIU, Security and International Relations Senior Expert, Romania Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
| 16:30 – 16:45 | Coffee Break |
| 16:45 – 17:45 | Session VI: EU and the Future of MENA |
| On the occasion of the International Day Solidarity with the Palestinian People, November 29 Double standards policy threaten the credibility of the International community in the Palestinian Issue.
The panel will cover aspects regarding the EU’s presence in the MENA, as turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa directly affects Europeans (see a continuous migration crisis). The EU has not seen a deal-breaker and stands far away from retaining a decisive role in major events. How can it overcome obstacles and line-up a more powerful policy for the mid and long-term range? Chair: Dr. Liviu MUREŞAN, President, EuroDefense Romania Speakers: HE Dr. Alibeman Eghbali ZARCH, Senior Expert, IPIS, Former Ambassador to Albania, the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Mihai Sebastian CHIHAIA, Policy Analyst, the European Policy Centre, Brussels, Belgium Prof. Marius NEACȘU, University of Economic Studies (ASE), Bucharest, Romania Dr. Waill BATREKHI, Minister Counsellor, Deputy Chief of the Mission, Embassy of the State of Palestine to Romania Dr. Alexandru GEORGESCU, Strategic Analyst, EuroDefense Romania Mr. Sergiu DUR, PhD Candidate and Researcher, “Babeș-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
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| 17:45 – 18:45 | Session VII: The Assessment of the Economic Sanctions on MENA’s Countries and Innovative Instruments for Trading |
| The panel sums up crucial aspects regarding economic sanctions in the MENA region, with a focus on those applied to Iran. Negotiations to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPCOA) are expected to resume in order to get the United States to re-enter the deal. As the diplomatic activities could resume, officials across European capitals are examining how to revive EU-Iran trade following the lifting of US secondary sanctions. How can the EU interact in a beneficial way with Iran leading to a win-win strategy? There is a lot of potential underway to be unlocked.
Chair: Mr. Iulian MAREȘ, Strategic Analyst, MEPEI, Bucharest, Romania Speakers: Prof. Foad IZADI, Associate Professor, Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran Prof. Mohsen ABDOLLAHI, Expert on International and Environmental Law, Shahid Beheshti University, the Islamic Republic of Iran Prof. Radu MUȘETESCU, Director of International Economic Relations at MEPEI, and Director of the Department for International Economic Relations, University of Economic Studies (ASE), Bucharest, Romania Prof. Hussein MAKLAD, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations and Diplomacy at Al-Sham Private University, the Syrian Arab Republic Prof. Pouria ASKARY, Expert on Public International Law/Investment Arbitration, Allameh Tabatabaei University, the Islamic Republic of Iran Q & A, Remarks, and Comments |
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| 18:45 | Conclusion and Final Remarks |
| Dr. Liviu MUREŞAN, President, EuroDefense Romania
HE Prof. Dr. Anis H. BAJREKTAREVIC, International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), IFIMES Permanent Representation to Austria and Vienna-based IOs Dr. Corneliu PIVARIU, Security and International Relations Senior Expert, Romania HE Dr. Alibeman Eghbali ZARCH, Senior Expert, IPIS, Former Ambassador to Albania, Islamic Republic of Iran Mr. Flavius CABA-MARIA, President of MEPEI, Bucharest, Romania |
Please see the agenda.
On-line Event
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Dec 2, 2021 08:00 AM Bucharest
Topic: Webinar – “Middle East and North Africa: the Changes for a New Beginning”
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cm4uVv5oS-aYHoqmkf9NeA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
