IIEA Talks

In February 2025, France will host the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, bringing together global leaders, thinkers, academics, businesspeople, and civil society to reflect upon what the AI revolution will mean for the world. AI is poised to usher in significant changes to the global economy, trade, education, government, employment, health, arts and culture. At this critical juncture, Dr Patricia Scanlon and Ambassador Henri Verdier discuss the Irish and French perspectives on what Artificial Intelligence might mean for not only their own countries, but for citizens all over the world.  This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of France in Ireland About the Speakers: Henri Verdier is Ambassador for Digital Affairs at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. He has led the France’s digital diplomacy since 2018. Henri Verdier is co-founder and CEO of MFG Labs, an internet-based startup involved in social data mining, and chairman of the board of Cap Digital, the French-European Cluseter for Digital Content and Services. Ambassador Verdier has co-authored three books written in French, L'Age de la Multitude, Entreprendre et Gouverner Après la Révolution Numérique (The Age of Multitude, Entrepreneurship and Governance after the Digital Revolution), in 2017, Des Startup d’État à l’État plateforme ( From State Startups to the Platform State), and Le Business de la haine : Internet, la démocratie et les réseaux sociaux (The Business of Hate: Internet, Democracy and Social Networks). Dr Patricia Scanlon is Ireland’s AI Ambassador, a role which she has held since 2022, and chair of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council. In 2013, she founded SoapBox Labs, a pioneering company specialising in ethical voice AI technology for children with application across education and gaming. SoapBox Labs became a global leader and was acquired by US-based Curriculum Associates in 2023. Her innovative contributions to the tech industry earned her recognition by Forbes as one of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018.

'Europe’s Security and Defence: Where We Stand' Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 transformed the threat perception for many European democracies. Russia has emerged as Europe’s most powerful and menacing power, willing to retool its economy for war and accept hundreds of thousands of casualties in the pursuit of territorial conquest. In response, democratic Europe is re-arming and providing unprecedented assistance to the defence of Ukraine. Brigid Laffan, Carsten Søndergaard, Marcin Terlikowski, and Ben Tonra will join this edition of IIEA Insights to assess Europe’s preparedness in an utterly changed security environment and what the election of Donald Trump as US president means for the US commitment to European security. 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. Carsten Søndergaard served as a Danish diplomat until August 2022. His final position was as Denmark’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2018-2022). Marcin Terlikowski is Deputy Head of Research at the Polish Institute of International affairs. Ben Tonra is Full Professor of International Relations at the UCD School of Politics and International Relations and Project Leader for the IIEA’s policy group on European Security and Defence.

The world can increasingly be characterised by uncertainty and transformations. Climate change, geopolitical competition, demographic changes, and new innovations in technology, including artificial intelligence, have prompted the need to reflect upon the implications which these changes may mean for society and businesses across Europe. In this panel discussion, expert speakers drawn from EU institutions and Ireland reflect upon how Europe can thrive in a changing world and ensure that the EU and its Member States are best positioned to meet the challenges and to identify the opportunities which may arise therefrom. Speakers will include: Pascal Leardini, Chair of the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), and Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer of the European Commission Peter Clifford, Head of Strategy at Research Ireland Elena Lazarou, Senior Analyst at the European Parliamentary Research Service Kevin Flynn, Head of the Irish Liaison Office for Research and Innovation in Brussels, Enterprise Ireland Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland This panel has been organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seized public consciousness in recent years, but public attention has often focused on the technological aspects of AI. However, as AI is inserted into every part of daily life, from dating to doctor consultations, it is important to ensure that this technology is adopted in a human-centric way. Susie Alegre examines AI through the lens of international human rights law to explore the legal frameworks we need to build the human-centric future we want. About the Speaker: Susie Alegre is an international lawyer specialising in technology and human rights and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).  A barrister and Associate at Garden Court Chambers in London, she has worked in the field of public international law and human rights around the world for organisations including Amnesty International, the European Union, the OSCE and the UN. She is the author of Freedom to Think, a Financial Times Technology book of the year and Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI published in 2024.

In her address, Dr Songwe acknowledges that the bulk of the cost of the climate transition in many low- and middle-income countries will be borne by governments, with the private sector and Multilateral Development Banks playing a complementary role. Country platforms, transition plans and “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDCs), in her view, should play a critical role in identifying priority financing needs and in coordinating global and domestic climate finance. She argues that Governments must use all levers to raise long-term affordable finance and create the fiscal space for investments needed to meet the challenge. A Green industrial strategy is the key to translating transition plans and NDCs into clear investment pathways for public, private and multilateral finance. About the Speaker: Dr Vera Songwe is Chair and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution on Global Economy and Development. Songwe has led numerous efforts to bring greater prosperity to Africa, including as the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Dr Songwe is also a global climate champion. She is the Co-Chair of the Independent High-Level Expert Panel on Climate Finance, where she has supported the government of the UK and Egypt for COP27 and also for Egypt and the UAE under COP28.

American diplomacy has faced a combustible mix of unique challenges in recent years, from domestic political divisions to a disorderly international landscape, compounded by multiple ongoing wars. These challenges are unlikely to disappear soon. In his address to the IIEA, Nicholas Kralev reflects on American diplomacy's track record since the turn of the century, its ability to navigate and influence today's complex world, and the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential election in November. Drawing from his visits to more than 80 US embassies during his research for his books America's Other Army and Diplomatic Tradecraft, Mr. Kralev offers his insights into the current state and future of US diplomacy. About the Speaker: Nicholas Kralev is a recognised expert in US diplomacy, international affairs, and foreign service training. He is the founding executive director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, an independent organization offering professional training in diplomacy. With over two decades of experience, Nicholas Kralev has closely observed US diplomacy, first as a correspondent for the Financial Times and Washington Times, traveling with Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, and Madeleine Albright. He has also authored several books, including America's Other Army and Diplomatic Tradecraft, which was recently published by Cambridge University Press.

'Check and Balances on US Presidents: Legal and Political Perspectives' The forthcoming presidential election in the United States has been described as among the most consequential in the republic’s 248-year history. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Lecturer in Law at University of Galway, Larry Donnelly, discusses how political power is diffused in the US and assess how strong checks and balances are on the exercise of executive power. The roles of congress, the supreme court, and the states will be considered in how presidential power is constrained, along with how independent government agencies and interest groups of all kinds influence executive decision-making. Larry Donnelly is a native of Boston and citizen of both the US and Ireland. He is the founder and director of the Clinical Legal Education programme at the University of Galway’s School of Law. He has been published widely in academic legal journals, including on comparative law. He was previously active in politics and government in the US and now contributes regularly to various Irish media outlets on politics, current affairs, and law in the US.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice delivered an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories while, at the same time, examining alleged breaches of the Genocide Convention by Israel in the context of its war on Gaza in a separate case brought by South Africa. This panel of experts explores these recent and ongoing legal processes, their historical context, the significance of the Court's findings thus far, and the legal effects of its decisions on other states. Furthermore, the panel discusses Ireland's role in these processes and what impact these legal processes may have on Ireland, for international law, and for delivering justice in the Middle East. About the Speakers: Dr Giulia Pinzauti, Assistant Professor of Public International Law at Leiden University Dr John Reynolds, Associate Professor of International Law at Maynooth University Prof Hélène Tigroudja, Professor of Public International Law at Aix-Marseille University Giulia Pinzauti is Assistant Professor of Public International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of Leiden Law School. She previously served as an associate legal officer at the International Court of Justice from 2015 to 2016, in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from 2012 to 2014, and at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon from 2011 to 2012. John Reynolds is Associate Professor of International Law at the School of Law & Criminology, Maynooth University. His research focuses on questions of international law in relation to colonialism, apartheid, and states of emergency. Dr Reynolds’ book on Empire, Emergency and International Law, published with Cambridge University Press, was awarded the Kevin Boyle Book Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship. He is an editor of the Third World Approaches to International Law Review (TWAIL Review) journal. Hélène Tigroudja is Professor at the Faculty of Law at Aix-Marseille University, where she teaches international law, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. She is currently serving as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and is appointed as Special Rapporteur on New Communications and Interim Measures. She also regularly works with other universal and regional organisations such as UNESCO, the European Union and the Council of Europe. She has authored several articles, chapters of collective books, and monographs in French, English, and Spanish. Her collected specialised course delivered at The Hague Academy of International Law in 2023 on Armed Conflicts and International Human Rights Law will be published in 2025.

As the conversation on the future of industrial policy in the European Union continues, questions on the future of European competitiveness, the green transition, and trade policy have grown in importance. In her remarks to the IIEA, Garance Pineau reflects upon these key concerns and offers the French vision for the future of the European business environment. About the Speaker: Garance Pineau is the Director General of the Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF), the largest business organization in France since November 2023. Before joining MEDEF, she served as European advisor to the French President, Emmanuel Macron. She was previously Chief of Staff to the European Affairs Minister and managed the 2019 European elections for the President’s political party. She also worked as the Deputy Director of Social Relations at MEDEF and lent her expertise as a Diplomatic Advisor in the office of the Minister for Labour. In addition to this, Garance Pineau has worked for the UN and the OSCE in the field of Human and Asylum Rights.

In conversation with Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), he explores the most pressing issues facing the aviation industry today. The conversation looks at the industry’s ambitious commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities that stakeholders face. Mr Walsh also discusses topics such as increased pressure on airport capacity, regulatory challenges that aviation companies face, as well as the broader aviation supply chain and current EU and international aviation policies. This conversation aims to provide a comprehensive look at the future of aviation, with insights into how international and European institutions interact to ensure the aviation industry can operate safely and efficiently. About the Speaker: Willie Walsh became the eighth person to lead the International Air Transport Association (IATA) when he took on the role of Director General in April 2021. Mr Walsh began as a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus in 1979 and rose to the position of Chief Executive at the airline in 2001. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Executive of British Airways (BA), leading them through the 2008/09 global financial crisis, he also established a transatlantic joint business venture with Iberia, Finnair, and American Airlines, and oversaw the 2011 merger of BA and Iberia under a newly established parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG). He was the Chief Executive of IAG from its inception until September 2020. Mr Walsh served on the IATA Board of Governors between 2005 to 2018, including serving as Chair from 2016 to 2017.