MENA Talks

In this episode of the MENA Talks Podcast, host Shada Islam and guest Prof. Carlos Lopes dissect Africa's future, emphasizing the challenge of conveying its manufacturing potential to Europe. They probe EU-Africa relations, questioning the effectiveness of defining a "relationship of equals" and the influence of colonialism. The discussion shifts to China's role, evaluating concerns of a "debt trap" and the benefits of global competition. Urgent reforms in international finance and the crucial need for African representation are explored. The conversation wraps up with insights into climate finance challenges at the COP28 meeting in Dubai and potentials for Africans to be at the forefront of climate discussions. 

As COP28 rapidly approaches, the United Arab Emirates, as the conference's presiding nation, is gearing up to host a pivotal global conversation about our shared future. Dubai Abulhoul, an accomplished Author, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of the Fiker Institute, along with her role as an Advisory Committee Member at COP28, joins Cinzia Bianco for a frank conversation. Their exchange will bring valuable insights and perspectives to the forefront, as they delve into the complex issues surrounding COP28 and its significance on the global stage. 

The UAE is poised to lead a significant dialogue on the future of energy and climate protection. The UAE's distinct position, being both a producer of fossil fuels and one of the world's largest investors in green energy and climate technologies. 

In a similarly complex position, Europe grapples with the challenge of balancing its energy security needs, diversifying away from a dependency on Russia, and striving to meet the world's most ambitious climate objectives. What can Europeans anticipate in the UAE, and is there room for productive collaboration to ensure the success of COP28?

 La question du racisme en Europe a gagné en visibilité ces dernières années, notamment depuis l'assassinat de George Floyd aux États-Unis et l'internationalisation du mouvement Black Lives Matter. Elle-même victime d'une altercation raciste avec la police belge en 2020, la députée Européenne Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana échange avec notre analyste Yasmine Akrimi sur son engagement contre le racisme en Europe, le plan d'action européen 2020-2025 contre les discriminations raciales et l'incohérence de la politique migratoire européenne. 

In this new MENA Talks podcast episode, Dr. Cinzia Bianco, BIC Senior Expert on EU-Gulf Relations, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Tobias Borck, Senior Research Fellow at RUSI. Both experts provide a comprehensive status check on the EU-Gulf strategic partnership, shedding light on progress and limitations in key sectors like security, energy, climate, and humanitarian aid. Dr. Bianco provides an analysis of the drivers, push and pull factors influencing the EU-Gulf Strategic Partnership, while Dr. Borck emphasizes how energy security cooperation, further empowered by emerging geopolitical dynamics, has become an important aspect for increased engagement. However, both experts acknowledge the challenges and tensions posed by mutual reluctance and a lack of prioritization on both sides. From energy security cooperation to geopolitics, join their engaging conversation as they navigate the complex terrain of the EU-Gulf relations.

Host: Dr. Cinzia Bianco, Senior Expert on EU-Gulf Relations 

Guest: Dr. Tobias Borck, Senior Research Fellow, RUSI  

Wilson Fache is travelling to Ukraine to capture the ground realities of the conflict-ridden country. He records the destruction caused in and around the city of Bakhmut. Back in Brussels, Wilson meets Lisa Musiol, the International Crisis Group's Head of EU Affairs, as they both talk about the nature of the European Union's economic, military, and political support towards Ukraine.

Guest: Lisa Musiol, Head of EU Affairs, International Crisis Group 

C'est quoi être féministe aujourd'hui? Pourquoi tant de femmes sont-elles réticentes à le devenir, surtout dans le Sud global? C'est quoi le féminisme « mainstream »? Et pourquoi pose-t-il problème? À l'occasion de la journée internationale des droits des femmes le 8 mars, notre chercheuse Yasmine Akrimi et sa confrère, la journaliste féministe tunisienne Sarah Ben Ali, ont partagé une réflexion critique concernant l'unicité du concept de "femme" qui pose de plus en plus problème tant les expériences d'oppression sont multiples et les intérêts souvent contradictoires.

 
Invitée: Sarah Ben Ali, journaliste reporter d'image et féministe tunisienne

In this episode, BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings is joined by Alessandro Mattiato, Coordinator for EU-NATO Relations at the European Commission to get an EU perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the EU-NATO partnership, especially in the context of the Russian war in Ukraine.  How can we interpret the most recent joint declaration signed in January 2023 between the EU and NATO? And what does the state of the partnership mean for the European drive for 'strategic autonomy'?

Cinq ans après la fin de la guerre contre le groupe Etat islamique, plus d’un million d’Irakiens qui avaient été déplacés par le conflit n’ont pas encore pu rentrer chez eux. Parmi eux, des milliers de familles dites « affiliées » à l’organisation terroriste et qui sont aujourd’hui considérées comme des parias. Wilson Fache, consultant pour le BIC, s’est rendu à Bagdad, Mossoul et Erbil pour tenter de mieux comprendre ce phénomène. Il y a interviewé plusieurs de ces familles ainsi que Mélisande Genat, spécialiste de l’Irak et doctorante à l’université de Stanford, et Christophe Reltien, responsable en Irak de « Echo », le programme humanitaire de l’Union européenne. Musique: Khalid Alrawi.

The BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings, is joined by Dr. Daniel Fiott, Head of the Defence and Statecraft Programme at the Brussels School of Governance and Non-Resident Fellow at the Real Elcano Institute, to discuss the current state of European foreign policy including an evaluation of the effectiveness of some of its tools, such as those involved using the CSDP framework, as well as its current level of preparedness in the face of external aggression.  Does the EU have suitable mechanisms in place for a truly autonomous foreign policy, or instead what is missing from achieving such an aspiration?

Dr. Daniel Fiott

Head of the Defence and Statecraft Programme,  Brussels School of Governance; Non-Resident Fellow, Real Elcano Institute

With Shada Islam and Rafia Zakaria

On this very special episode of the MENA Talks, the BIC’s Senior Commentator on Geopolitics, Shada Islam, is joined by best seller author Rafia Zakaria to have a frank conversation about current developments in Iran. The death of Maisa Amini provoked fury across Iran and the world, causing unprecedented levels of popular discontent against the Iranian regime’s brutal practices. In view of that, Shada and Rafia go beyond the headlines to shed light on the meaning and potential for these protests from a gender, post-colonial perspective, while also highlighting the role of the West in supporting the protesters.