Six years on from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a decrease in momentum for coordinated EU public health action, particularly on respiratory disease. Despite mounting pressures from climate change, ageing populations, and strained health systems, this trend has continued. This panel discussion brings together healthcare professionals, policymakers, industry representatives, and other experts to explore how Ireland’s forthcoming EU Presidency can help to re-energise Europe’s public health agenda. With a particular focus on respiratory health, the panellists discuss how EU-level cooperation on prevention, early diagnosis, surveillance, data-sharing, and innovation can deliver more resilient, equitable, and future-ready health systems across Europe.

This event is organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs in partnership with Sanofi.

The panel includes:

José Luis Castro, Director-General Special Envoy for Chronic Respiratory Diseases at the World Health Organisation (WHO)

Professor Mary Horgan, Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health

Mark Canavan, EU Public Affairs Senior Director at Sanofi

Mandy Daly, Founder of the Irish Neonatal Health Alliance and Embedded Patient Researcher

'War in the Middle-East: implications for Ireland and Europe'

The multi-dimensional conflict in the Middle East is creating regional turmoil and roiling global markets, commodities most notably. This edition of IIEA Insights will discuss what the reaction from Europe says about the EU as a geopolitical actor, the implications for the war in Ukraine, and how the conflict is affecting an already strained transatlantic relationship. The economic implications for Ireland and Europe will also be examined.

Riccardo Alcaro is Research Coordinator and Head of the Global Actors Programme at the Institute of International Affairs in Rome. His main area of expertise is transatlantic relations, with a particular focus on US and European policies towards Europe’s surrounding regions. He is the author of Europe and Iran’s Nuclear Crisis (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018).

Laurence Norman is Brussels Deputy Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal covering the EU, European foreign policy, and nuclear issues. Over the last 20 years, he has reported for the paper from Berlin, London, New York, and Buenos Aires.

Loretta O’Sullivan is Chief Economist and Partner at EY Ireland. She has been working in the economics field for almost 20 years in both the public and private sectors, on a wide range of Irish, European, and global issues. She holds a PhD in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and an MA in Policy, Management and Government from the University of York.

In 2021, the European Commission and the EU High Representative launched the Global Gateway, a new European strategy to boost smart, clean, and secure links in digital, energy, and transport sectors, while also strengthening health, education, and research systems across the world. This panel discussion provides an accessible overview of the Global Gateway, outlining its objectives, priority sectors, and delivery mechanisms. The discussion explores what Global Gateway means in practice for Ireland, examining how Irish businesses, including SMEs, can engage with EU-backed financing instruments and international infrastructure projects, while ensuring alignment with sustainable development objectives and the priorities of partners in the Global South. The panel also situates Global Gateway within the broader context of the Global Europe Instrument and Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026, highlighting Ireland’s potential role in shaping and delivering this flagship EU initiative.

The event begins with opening remarks by Barry Andrews MEP, Chair of the European Parliament's DEVE Committee, on the nature of the Global Gateway Strategy and is followed by the panel discussion.

The panel includes:

Barry Andrews MEP, Chair of the European Parliament's DEVE Committee

Jane-Ann McKenna, CEO at Dóchas

Anne Lanigan, Divisional Manager, Local Enterprise & Regions at Enterprise Ireland

Ruth Parkin, Director, EU Unit, Development Cooperation & Africa Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

This webinar examines how gender inequalities shape access to food, nutrition, and opportunities across global food systems, and how accountability initiatives are helping to close these gaps. Drawing on evidence from the Global Food 50/50 report and related research, this discussion explores how power, resources, and decision-making are distributed within food system organisations and institutions.​

Speakers will consider what gender-responsive leadership and organisational practices look like in practice, including approaches to advancing equity, inclusion, and accountability in governance and programming. The session will also reflect on emerging priorities for policymakers, funders, and practitioners seeking to transform food systems so that women and marginalised groups can participate on equal terms and benefit fully from sustainable and nutritious food economies

Dr. Hazel Malapit is a senior research coordinator at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, DC. She leads research, training, and technical assistance on the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) family of metrics, including the Women’s Empowerment Metric for National Statistical Systems (WEMNS). Her work focuses on gender, women’s empowerment, agriculture, health, nutrition, and mixed-methods measurement. She has played a key role in developing successive WEAI iterations and supports national statistical offices, CGIAR centers, and development partners in applying empowerment metrics in impact assessments and policy processes. Before joining IFPRI, Hazel held the Herman Postdoctoral Fellowship in Gender and Economics at the University of Michigan and conducted research on gender, labor markets, and data quality at the World Bank. She holds a PhD in Economics from American University.

Dr. Jemimah Njuki, a national of the Republic of Kenya, is the African Development Bank Group’s Director for Gender, Women, and Civil Society. She is responsible for providing intellectual and strategic leadership for the Bank Group’s agenda on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and civil society engagement - working across technical, geographic, and institutional boundaries to support the delivery of inclusive development solutions. Dr. Njuki’s portfolio includes overseeing the implementation of economic and sector work on gender, women and civil society, including Bank initiatives such as AFAWA, which is working with partners including financial institutions to unlock billions of dollars to reduce the access to financing gap facing Africa’s women entrepreneurs.

Sonja Tanaka is the director of programs and innovation and a founding member at Global 50/50. She works to advance gender justice, equity, and accountability in global health and beyond, with expertise in research, policy, and strategy development. She was previously with the United Nations agency leading the global AIDS response.

Cybersecurity has become a defining challenge for Ireland and Europe, with digital ecosystems underpinning our economic prosperity, democratic resilience, and the functioning of critical infrastructure. As energy systems, healthcare, financial services, and other systems become more digitally interconnected, the potential societal impacts of cyberattacks grow exponentially. In this panel discussion, organised in conjunction with Accenture, this event discusses the risks which Ireland and Europe face from a heightened risk environment, and how Europe can augment its resilience to a more complex cyber threat landscape.

The panel for this event include:

- Jacky Fox, Senior Managing Director, Global Lead for Security Strategy Practice, Accenture

- Richard Browne, Director of the National Cyber Security Centre

- Donal Óg McCarthy, Cybersecurity Lead, Ireland, Accenture

- Joyce Hakmeh, Associate Fellow, International Security Programme, Chatham House

This IIEA event features a keynote address by Cristina Gherasimov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of the Republic of Moldova and Chief Negotiator with the EU, outlining Moldova’s progress towards EU membership, key reform priorities, and the challenges shaping the accession process. Deputy Prime Minister Gherasimov’s address be followed by a discussion with leading academic and policy experts examining Moldova’s advancement in the EU accession process, the broader evolution of EU enlargement, and the strategic context for Europe. This discussion also explores the role of EU Member States, including Ireland, in supporting Moldova’s path towards EU membership.

This event is part of the IIEA’s Future-proofing Europe Project, which is kindly supported by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

About the Speaker:

Cristina Gherasimov was appointed Deputy Prime-Minister for European Integration and Chief Negotiator with the European Union in January 2024 and reappointed in the Alexandru Munteanu Cabinet, formed after the parliamentary elections, held in September 2025. She previously served as Adviser to the President of the Republic of Moldova on Foreign Policy and European Integration, as well as holding the position of Secretary General of the Presidential Office. In these roles, Cristina Gherasimov served as the President's Sherpa for several European and global summits and events, such as the European Political Community Summit, UNGA, and Moldova Support Platform, among others. Her responsibilities extended to coordinating efforts in the area of foreign policy and EU integration process. For a short period after, Cristina Gherasimov also served as Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and European Integration. Prior to her service in the Moldovan government, Ms Gherasimov acquired a rich and diverse background in academia, research institutes, think tanks, and public organisations.

In this event, Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs for Google, discusses the importance of Ireland as a digital economy hub in Europe and the role of the digital economy in ensuring Ireland’s future prosperity.

Mr Walker also discusses how Ireland can harness its upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU, starting in July 2026, to push for the measures that are needed to unleash Europe’s digital competitiveness and to secure Europe’s digital resilience.

In his remarks, Mr Walker examines the debate about Europe’s regulatory framework, the growing role of AI, and how to ensure Europe’s resilience against digital threats.

This event is organised as a collaboration between the IIEA and Google.

Kent Walker is President of Global Affairs at Google and Alphabet, overseeing content policy, government and regulatory affairs, and legal, risk, and compliance matters. With a 30+ year career at the intersection of technology, law, and policy, he has led Google's advocacy on key issues and served as the first chair of the Global Internet Forum to Combat Terrorism. A Harvard and Stanford Law graduate, Kent was previously an Assistant U.S. Attorney and held executive positions at Netscape, AOL, and eBay. He serves on TechNet's executive committee and the Council on Foreign Relations.

In her speech, Ms Bogdan-Martin addresses the role of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in securing universal connectivity for all, particularly how ICT can be used to assist developing countries to ensure that no one is left behind and that the ITU programmes reach the furthest behind first. She explores how AI can be used for inclusion, providing access to healthcare and education in developing countries, and presents an innovative ITU programme which focuses on migration and connecting refugees from camp to camp. Finally, she highlights developments in cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure, from energy to subsea cables.

This event is part of the IIEA’s Development Matters Series which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin is the Secretary-General of the Internation Telecommunication Union (ITU), taking office in January 2023, becoming the first woman ever to head the organisation. Ms Bogdan-Martin has held leadership positions in the field of international telecommunications policy for over three decades, with a track-record of brokering innovative partnerships to expand digital inclusion and connectivity for everyone around the world. Previously, Ms Bogdan-Martin served as the Executive Director of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, focusing on delivering new partnerships, global initiatives on connectivity innovation, digital transformation, and youth engagement. She was also co-founder of the EQUALS Global Partnership to bridge the digital divide, and co-creator of the GIGA school initiative. She has been awarded the IEEE President’s Award for ‘distinguished leadership and contributions to the public’ and the SIA Leadership in Government Award for her ‘distinguished career in both domestic and international space policy. In 2025, Forbes named Ms Bogdan-Martin in its 50 over 50 Impact list recognising women using their experience to benefit the world.

2026 marks the fourth year of Ukraine's defence against Russia's full-scale invasion. In his remarks to the IIEA, Oleksandr Kraiev discusses how Ukraine's defence continues to shape the future of Europe's security architecture. He discusses the ongoing negotiations regarding a peaceful settlement to the conflict. Moreover, he reflects upon the changing transatlantic relationship, its implications for Europe's security environment, and the need for other European States to do more to rebuild Europe's security architecture. 

Oleksandr Kraiev is the Director of the North America program in Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism", a senior lecturer at National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy", and a host at Apostrophe TV channel. He is also a PhD candidate with the topic on Trump's first Main spheres of interest - US and UK foreign policy, US presidents in foreign policy decision making, hybrid security, Ukrainian foreign and security policies.

'New Year Economic Outlook'

Uncertainty remains elevated with regards to the global economic outlook. The effects of geopolitical tensions, protectionism, an unpredictable US administration, and the pace of change in AI are among the issues challenging economic forecasters. In the first edition of IIEA Insights in the new year, Alan Barrett of the ESRI and Daniel Kral of Oxford Economics will discuss the macroeconomic outlook, while Michelle Norris of UCD will weigh up the prospects for housing supply and demand in 2026.