IIEA Talks

In her address to the IIEA, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of the Belarusian Democratic Movement, discusses the current threats to the future of Belarus and Europe, including human rights violations, the impact of economic sanctions against Belarus, and Lukashenka's acceptance of a plan to place Russian nuclear arms in Belarus. In March of 2023, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on the Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath. The report details systematic and widespread human rights violations as a direct result of the policies employed by the current Government of Belarus. This event is part of the IIEA’s Global Europe Project, which is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs. About the Speaker Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the Leader of the Belarusian Democratic Movement, who contested the 2020 Belarusian presidential election as the main opposition candidate, following the detention of her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Following the disputed result of the Presidential Election, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya has been based in Lithuania as the official representative of the Belarusian democratic opposition in exile where she heads the Coordination Council to facilitate the peaceful democratic transfer of power in Belarus. In March 2023, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was convicted in absentia by a court in Minsk and found guilty of high treason, inciting social hatred, attempts to seize power, forming an “extremist” group and harming national security. Before running for President, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was an English teacher and interpreter, and has since been awarded the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament.

The second instalment of the IIEA’s Ireland and the European Health Union discussion series, supported by Janssen Sciences Ireland, features contributions by expert speakers who will discuss the role that the EU can play in improving care for patients with rare diseases in Ireland and across the EU. Many of the 6,000 to 8,000 different rare diseases are life threatening and are often lacking in accurate diagnosis and, oftentimes, only limited treatment options exist. Meanwhile, major inequalities in standards of care and outcomes for people with rare diseases prevail across Europe. As part of its new Health Union, the EU has identified rare diseases as a health priority and is pursuing a number of initiatives that are designed to improve care and access to medicines across the EU, and regarding drug and treatment development, genetic testing and diagnosis, data sharing, and research activities. At this event, speakers discuss what these developments could mean for national healthcare in Ireland and across the EU and consider how Ireland compares to European peers in the care of rare diseases. Speakers also reflect on what the future may hold for rare diseases, including the potential impact of the upcoming EU package of pharma legislation as well as other expected policy developments. Our guest speakers include:   Billy Kelleher, MEP Vicky McGrath, CEO at Rare Diseases Ireland Prof. Sean Gaine, Consultant Respiratory Physician at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Jennifer Lee, Therapy Area Market Access Leader at Janssen

Medical facilities have been increasingly targeted in conflict settings to inflict terror on civilian populations as well as maximise disruption to critical lifesaving services. Though protected under international law, medical facilities around the world in places such as Syria and Ukraine continue to be attacked. In their remarks, Waad Al-Kateab and Dr Hamza al-Kateab discuss how their Stop Bombing Hospitals campaign is working to build a movement to protect healthcare in conflict and seek accountability. About the Speakers: Waad Al-Kateab is the director of For Sama (2019), winner of a BAFTA and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, in which she introduced global audiences to the unimaginable lived realities of civilians and medical personnel under attack in Syria. Dr. Hamza al-Kateab was the director of the last remaining hospital in East Aleppo, Al-Quds, during continued attacks by the Syrian and Russian regimes. He was responsible for the healthcare of the entire population in the area during the besiegement of the city and for the medical evacuation during the forced displacement in 2016. Together, Hamza and Waad Al-Kateab founded Action for Sama and have since led the Stop Bombing Hospitals campaign, with the aim to shed light on the attacks perpetrated against healthcare facilities, seeking accountability for such crimes and amplifying the voices of healthcare professionals on the ground.

As Xi Jinping's third term as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party gets under way in earnest after a series of top-level appointments in March, China faces formidable challenges at home and abroad. After three years of COVID restrictions, parts of the economy are rebounding but important sectors including real estate are troubled and foreign investors have been unnerved by a crackdown on high-profile entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, as relations with the United States become more tense, the war in Ukraine has complicated Beijing's relationship with Europe. Irish Times China Correspondent Denis Staunton, the only correspondent for an Irish news organisation based in China, offers an update from Beijing. About the Speaker: Denis Staunton has been China Correspondent for The Irish Times since October 2022. He was previously London Editor from 2015 to 2022 and has also served as the newspaper's correspondent in Washington, Brussels and Berlin, as Foreign Editor, and as Deputy Editor.

The European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles was signed in December 2022. In his address, Thibaut Kleiner, Director for Policy, Strategy and Outreach in DG CONNECT in the European Commission, outlines the Declaration’s underpinning vision of a human-centred, secure, and sustainable digital transformation, in which no one is left behind. Mr Kleiner also explains how the Declaration may help to provide a framework to shape the future of EU digital policy and Europe’s digital transformation. About the Speaker: Thibaut Kleiner is the Director for Policy, Strategy, and Outreach at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) in the European Commission. He has worked in the European Commission since 2001, including in areas such as competition policy and state aid. He has also previously supervised internet policies relating to internet governance, cybersecurity, cloud and data. From January 2014 to June 2016, he was head of unit in charge of network technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things. An economist by training, Mr Kleiner holds a Master’s degree from HEC Paris and a PhD from the London School of Economics.

Greyzone aggression refers to acts of aggression which are below the threshold of armed military violence causing harm to another country. Often these means are even legal. That makes defence against greyzone aggression an enormous challenge for the targeted countries, and that also means the armed forces are not best placed to drive the defence. In her remarks, Elisabeth Braw argues that defence against greyzone aggression instead requires the involvement of all parts of society: the government, the private sector, the third sector, and the public, with people taking on responsibilities that can be as basic as knowing what to do when power goes out. About the Speaker: Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on defence against greyzone threats. She is also a columnist with Foreign Policy and Politico Europe and the author of The Defender’s Dilemma: Identifying and Deterring Grayzone Aggression (2022). Elisabeth is writing a book about globalisation and geopolitics for Yale University Press. She is a member of GALLOS Technologies’ advisory board, a member of the UK National Preparedness Commission and a member of the steering committee of the Aurora Forum. She is also the author of God’s Spies, about the Stasi (2019).

According to General Brieger, the response to the Russian criminal posture by EU Member States has been massive and unanimous, cemented ties, and strengthened the credibility of the EU security and defence agenda.   In the first year since its signing, the EU has made significant progress in all 4 interlinked areas of the Strategic Compass: ACT, SECURE, INVEST and PARTNER. Each chapter, strictly interwoven with the others, contains actionable items, with strict deadlines. Though much has been done, there remains much to do. Member states must now continue to mobilize their resources to meet the commitments and ambitions outlined in the Strategic Compass. What is at stake is nothing less than the security and well-being of future EU (and non-EU) generations.    About the Speaker:  General Robert Brieger is the Chairperson of the European Union Military Committee, a committee comprised of the Chiefs of Staff of Europe’s 27 Member State Militaries. General Brieger joined the Austrian Armed Forces in 1975 and graduated from the Theresian Military Academy as an Armour Officer in 1979. He became Chief of Staff of the Austrian Armed Forces in 2018. He has served as Commander of the Austrian Contingent of KFOR, Kosovo from 2001-2002; Force Commander of Operation Althea, Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011-12.

At the IIEA’s first in-person student event, ‘Fresh Perspectives: A guide to your career in public service and international affairs’, a panel of young people from diplomacy and public service reflect on their experiences in middle management leadership roles. The panellists offer practical perspectives on how to forge and sustain a career in public life and will also discuss how changes in the geopolitical order are impacting their industries and affect their roles in the future. Geared towards students and young professionals, we hope this panel discussion will inspire young people who are hoping to pursue a career in government and/or international affairs. Panellists include: Luke O Callaghan-White, Programme Manager for Climate, Energy & Sustainability at Friends of Europe (based in Brussels) Amy Stapleton, Policy Officer, European Migration Network Ireland, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Kevin Culligan, Desk Officer, International Security Policy Unit (EU Common Security and Defence Policy), Political Division, Irish Department of Foreign Affairs Aine Earley, Administrative Officer at Department of Finance

According to Pat Cox, the war in Ukraine is set to intensify in the coming months. Its duration and outcome are indeterminate. Neither the Russian aggressor nor the Ukrainian defender is yet prepared to take any decisive step towards a cessation of hostilities. For both sides, establishing a premature peace would carry significant risks. Making peace would be infused with politically sensitive complexity, not only for Ukraine and Russia but also for Ukraine’s allies, and especially for the EU. In his address to the IIEA, Pat Cox suggests that underpinning a sustainable and just peace for the EU is a geo-strategic investment which is in the interest of both the EU and Ukraine. About the Speaker: Pat Cox serves as the President of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is also the leader of the European Parliament’s Needs Assessment and Implementation Mission on Parliamentary Reform of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Previously, Pat Cox served as President of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004, President of the ELDR Group in the European Parliament from 1998 to 2001, and President of European Movement International from 2005 to 2011.

At the first IIEA Young Professionals Network (YPN) event of 2023, the IIEA will welcome Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland. According to a poll by The Sunday Times in November 2022, 50% of young people in the Republic of Ireland between the ages of 18 to 34 feel that they “do not fully understand the history of the Troubles”. To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland from 1997 to 2008, and co-negotiator and co-signatory of the Good Friday Agreement, speaks to the IIEA’s Young Professionals Network regarding the progress that has been made on the island of Ireland towards achieving peace, as well as the challenges the Good Friday Agreement, and peace more broadly, might face over the next 25 years.