To start off 2024, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation organised a High-Level Dialogue on Where is Peace in the New European Security Architecture? in cooperation with the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU, and under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, on 19 January in Brussels.
As the European Union and its members are gearing up for elections and a change of Commission in 2024, and with imminent security threats at the EU’s doorstep translating into considerable defence investments, EU and non-EU leaders, experts and policy-makers were brought together to consider what the developments over the last year mean for the EU as the word’s largest peace project going forward.
The discussion began with a keynote exchange between College of Europe Rector Federica Mogherini and EUSR for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues Miroslav Lajčák, followed by two subsequent panels. The first panel focused on EU enlargement and peacemaking. How can the EU best utilise enlargement as an asset for ensuring its geopolitical role in favour of peace across all accession countries and potential candidate countries, while maintaining the integrity of the accession process through a merit-based approach? The second panel dwelled on where peace fits into the new European security architecture, and what this means for the EU as a global peace actor. How do the developments at home affect the EU abroad, and where does (positive) peace fit into all this?
For any questions or inquiries, please contact Isabella Bjorkman (isabella.bjorkman@cmi.fi).
Agenda
12h00-13h00 Light Lunch Reception
13h00-13h15 Opening and Welcome
- Dr Jibecke Joensson, Head of CMI Brussels Office, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
- Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Belgium to the Political and Security Committee of the EU Stéphane Mund
13h15-13h45 Keynote Exchange on “Where is Peace in the New European Security Architecture?”
- Miroslav Lajčák, EUSR for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues
- Federica Mogherini, Rector, College of Europe and Director, Pilot Programme of the European Diplomatic Academy
Moderator: Ambassador Janne Taalas, CEO, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
13h45-15h00 Panel on EU Enlargement and Peacemaking in the New European Security Architecture
- Štefan Füle, Chairman, European Policy Centre Task Force on EU Enlargement
- Dr Stephanie Hofmann, Professor and Joint Chair in International Relations, Department of Political and Social Sciences & Robert Schuman Centre, European University Institute
- Vessela Tcherneva, Deputy Director and Head of European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) Sofia Office
- Ambassador Anka Feldhusen, Director for Peacebuilding and Stabilization at the German Federal Foreign Office
Moderator: Guillem Riutord Sampol, Head of Division, Peace, Security and Defence Partnerships, EEAS
15h00-15h30 Coffee Break
15h30-16h45 Panel on the EU as a Global (Peace) Actor in the New European Security Architecture
- Nickolay Mladenov, Director General, Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, Abu Dhabi
- Ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubačić, Deputy Managing Director for Values and Multilateral Relations / Ambassador for Gender and Diversity, European External Action Service
- Dr Abdeta Dribssa Beyene, Executive Director, Centre for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation, Addis Ababa / Consultant advisor to the Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Ministry
- Dr Ville Brummer, Chief Programme Officer, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Moderator: Chris Coulter, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Negotiation and Mediation Support, Berghof Foundation
16h45-17h00 Wrap-up and Closing Remarks
- Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sweden to the Political and Security Committee of the EU Ingrid Ask
- Hanna Klinge, Deputy CEO, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Download the concept note here.
Speakers’ Biographies
Ambassador Ingrid Ask assumed her position as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sweden to the EU Political and Security Committee in Brussels in August 2023. Prior to her current position, Ms Ask served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden to the United States in Washington DC. Before that, she was the Political Advisor to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, General Micael Bydén. She has held positions at the Foreign Minister’s Office, the Africa Department and as Head of Consular Affairs at the Department for Consular Affairs and Civil Law. From 2005 to 2010, Ms Ask served as Political Counselor at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C, covering US foreign policy on Afghanistan and Africa. Between 2001 and 2005 she was posted to the Political Section of the Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria, South Africa. Ms Ask holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Languages from Uppsala University, Sweden.
Dr. Ville Brummer has been Chief Programme Officer at CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation since 2013. In his current role, he has the overall responsibility for leading the design and implementation of CMI’s programmatic work. Dr. Brummer has extensive experience in several conflict prevention and resolution processes in Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the Southern Caucasus, and Central Asia. He has led and advised various international teams and has in-depth knowledge and practical experience on different tasks related to mediation processes, including conflict analysis, process design and facilitation, early engagement with conflict groups, and advisory and support services for several international organizations, governments and NGOs. Prior to joining CMI, Dr. Brummer worked in academia and in private consultancies. He has published widely in various journals and books, and has lectured on negotiation and decision- making in several universities. He has a doctoral degree from Aalto University in Helsinki.
Dr. Chris Coulter is Deputy Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation and heads the department in charge of mediation support, negotiation and training. Before joining Berghof, Chris was the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Programs at the Negotiation Strategies Institute (NSI) in Jerusalem. Prior to this, she was Head of the Peace Process Support Unit at the Folke Bernadotte Academy; special advisor on peace and security to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Sweden; and Director of the Sida funded International Training Program on 1325: women, peace and security. Chris is a member of the Swedish Women’s Mediation Network and holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Uppsala University. She is the author of the book Bush Wives and Girl Soldiers (Cornell 2009).
Dr Abdeta Dribssa Beyene is the Executive Director of the Centre for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation (CDRC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and a consultant advisor to the Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Ministry. Dr Beyene is also a Senior Advisor to CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation.
His earlier career with Ethiopia’s MFA included serving as Director General for African Affairs until July 2011, Head of the Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit, Ethiopia’s Special Envoy to Somalia, Chief of Cabinet at the MFA, and Head of the Ethiopian Trade office in Hargeisa, “Somaliland”, Somalia. He also served as Chief of Staff of the IGAD-led Mediation Team for South Sudan in 2014 and 2015, and after that briefly for the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission overseeing the Agreement to Resolve the Conflict in South Sudan. He holds a PhD from Northwestern University.
Ambassador Anka Feldhusen is Director for Civilian Crisis Prevention and Stabilisation at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs since July 2023. Anka Feldhusen also worked at the Office of the Federal President of Germany and for two months, she headed the office of the Foreign Office in Prizren (Kosovo). Other previous positions include Deputy Head of the German Embassy in Cuba and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine. To date, Anka Feldhusen worked three times in Kyiv and she is fluent in Ukrainian. Anka Feldhusen holds a master’s degree in International Relations at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Medford (USA).
Mr Štefan Füle is the Chairman of the Task Force on Enlargement, European Policy Centre, and former EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy. Füle previously has held several positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, serving as First Secretary of Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the UN, the Ministry in Prague, and as Czech Ambassador to Lithuania. He had served as the nation’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom before being appointed as the Permanent Representative of his country to NATO.
Dr. Stephanie Hofmann holds the Joint Chair in International Relations between the Department of Political and Social Science and Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies and is director of the Europe in the World research area at the Robert Schuman Centre. She is currently on leave from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, where she is Professor in International Relations and Political Science. Stephanie holds a PhD in Government from Cornell University (2009). While she has worked a lot on European and transatlantic institutions, she also has started researching the AU, CSTO, SCO, OAS and the UN. Her work has been published, among others, with Cambridge University Press and journals such as the European Journal of International Relations, International Affairs, Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of European Public Policy, Journal of Peace Research, and Perspectives on Politics.
Dr. Jibecke Joensson is Head of the CMI’s Brussels Office, focusing on maintaining relations and building strategic partnerships with the EU, EU Member States and Brussels stakeholders. She was previously seconded by Sweden to the EEAS working on the EU-UN, and EU-UN-AU partnerships on peace and security. Some other prior roles include Head of Policy and Best Practices, Challenges Forum for Peace Operations, Folke Bernadotte Academy; Political Adviser of the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic; Programme Manager and Research Assistant at the United Nations University in New York; and Project Manager MENA, Adam Smith International in London. Jibecke holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute in Florence focusing on global governance and UN peace operations. Areas of expertise are peacebuilding, UN peacekeeping, EU crisis management, multilateralism, global governance and partnerships.
Ms Hanna Klinge is the Deputy CEO of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation since May 2021, prior to which she served as Acting Executive Director of the Foundation. Ms Klinge joined CMI in January 2018 as the Advisor to the Executive Director and the principal lead on strategic partnerships. Hanna Klinge’s background is in international relations, primarily in managing strategic partnerships, large scale projects and people. Prior to joining CMI, Ms Klinge worked as Country Director at the British Council Finland leading its work in Finland. The broad institutional portfolio included several international capacity building programmes, policy dialogue initiatives, and publications. Ms Klinge has specialized in social development and innovation, equality and inclusion issues, and social enterprise. Ms Klinge has studied and worked in Greece, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. She holds an Executive Master in International Negotiation and Policy-Making from the Geneva Graduate Institute, a MA in Cultural Studies and Social Sciences from Helsinki University and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (UK).
Mr Miroslav Lajčák is the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues since April 2020. Prior to this, Mr. Lajčák served as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office during Slovakia’s 2019 OSCE Chairmanship and President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in 2017-2018. In his national capacity, Mr. Lajčák served as Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic for four mandates, a position he first held from 2009 to 2010. From 2012 to 2016, he served as Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia. He was reappointed as Foreign Minister in 2016 and 2018 respectively, and left office in March 2020. He was twice Slovak Ambassador, to Japan and to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYROM and to Albania. Other previous positions include Managing Director for the EEAS Europe and Central Asia between 2010 and 2012 and High Representative of the International Community and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2007 and 2009. Mr. Lajčák negotiated, organized and supervised the referendum on the independence of Montenegro in 2006 on behalf of the EU and served as Executive Assistant to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Balkans from 1999 to 2001.
His Excellency Nickolay Mladenov is the Director General of Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. In this role, he oversees the projects in the department, which contribute to domestic and international debates on issues relevant to the UAE’s foreign policy and diplomacy, and act as an impactful source of analysis for the UAE government. With a career spanning over 20 years in Middle East and European politics, H.E. served as the UN Secretary General’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Envoy to the Middle East Quartet between 2015 and 2020. In 2013 H.E. was appointed as UN Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). H.E. Mladenov served as the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2013 and as Minister of Defense from 2009 to 2010. H.E. was also a Member of the European Parliament from 2007 to 2009. He led the EU Election Observation Mission to Ghana for the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2008. In February 2021, he was awarded the Grand Star of the Order of Jerusalem by President Mahmoud Abbas. H.E. Mladenov holds MA in War Studies at King’s College in London, UK.
Ms Federica Mogherini is the Rector of the College of Europe and Director of the Pilot Programme of the European Diplomatic Academy, implemented by the College of Europe since 2020 and 2022 respectively. Between 2014 to 2019 she served as the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission. Prior to joining the EU, she was Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and a Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. In her parliamentary capacity, she was Head of the Italian Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Vice-President of its Political Committee; member of the Italian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; Secretary of the Defence Committee; and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. She also coordinated the Inter-Parliamentary Group for Development Cooperation. She has co-chaired the UN High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement from January 2020 to September 2021. Federica Mogherini is a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Crisis Group and of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Fellow of the German Marshall Fund, member of the Board of Directors of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and of the Italian Institute for Foreign Affairs (IAI) and member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She was a member of the High Level Reflection Group of the Council of Europe.
Ambassador Stephane Mund was appointed Ambassador of Belgium to the Political & Security Committee of the EU 2020. Previous positions include Diplomatic Adviser to Prime Ministers Charles Michel & Sophie Wilmes; Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Belgium in Kinshasa; First Secretary, Embassy of Belgium in Islamabad; First Secretary, Embassy of Belgium in Tallinn; and Political analyst at the Belgian Ministry of Defence on Russia & the former USSR. Professional experiences abroad include United Kingdom (2001-2004), Estonia (2007-2008), Pakistan (2009-2013), Afghanistan (2013), Congo (2013-2017). Ambassador Mund holds a PhD degree in Philosophy & Letters (Universite Libre de Bruxelles) on the history of political & cultural relations between Russia and the Western World during the Middle Ages & Renaissance (10th – 16th c.).
Mr Guillem Riutord Sampol is Head of EEAS PCM.2 / Peace, Security & Defence Partnerships since July 2023, and has been leading the Conflict Prevention and Mediation Support Division since March 2022. In his first posts in the EEAS he worked on regional Latin American affairs and then on Regional Mediterranean Affairs. Between 2015 and 2018, Guillem was Deputy Head of Mission of the Spanish Embassy to Mali and Burkina Faso, based in Bamako. Back in the EEAS HQ in Brussels, Guillem served in the office of the Deputy Secretary General for CSDP and Crisis Response and then became Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Affairs Division.
Ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubačić is the Deputy Managing Director for Values and Multilateral Relations in the EEAS since 1 November 2023. Stella started her diplomatic career at the Dutch Foreign Ministry’s UN Department, followed by postings in Belgrade and Paris. In 2001, Stella was seconded to the OSCE Mission to the FRY (Former Republic of Yugoslavia). Following that, she became Spokesperson to former Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. In 2004, she took up the position of Spokesperson for the Dutch EU Presidency. Following various other positions in the Ministry in The Hague, including as Ambassador for the Millennium Development Goals, Stella was appointed Ambassador to Croatia in 2010. After having served in The Hague as Director of Communication, she was accredited as Ambassador to Romania and the Republic of Moldova and accredited as Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Hellenic Republic in September 2019. In the summer of 2021 she took up the post of Ambassador for Gender and Diversity at the EEAS. She holds a Master’s degree (European Studies) from the University of Amsterdam and carried out her post-graduate studies of International Relations at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague.
Dr. Janne Taalas has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation since May 2021. He has almost 25 years of experience in the Finnish Foreign service specializing in multilateral diplomacy and peace mediation related issues. He worked as the Special Envoy to 2020 Afghanistan Conference, the Ambassador of Cyber Diplomacy, the Finnish Ambassador to Rome, the Deputy Permanent representative (Ambassador) in the Finnish Mission to the United Nations in New York, and as the Director of Policy Planning. Dr. Taalas has Ph.D. and M.Phil. degrees from the University of Oxford (St Antony’s College) and Master of Science in Economics and Master of Social Sciences degrees from the University of Jyväskylä, as well as University Diploma in Development Studies from the University of Kent.
Ms Vessela Tcherneva is deputy director of the European Council on Foreign Relations and head of ECFR’s Sofia office. Her topics of focus include EU foreign policy and the Western Balkans and Black Sea region. Between January and July 2022, she held the position of Foreign Policy Advisor to the Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. From 2010 to 2013, she was the spokesperson for the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a member of Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov’s political cabinet. Previously, she was secretary of the International Commission on the Balkans, chaired by former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato and former German President Richard von Weizsäcker; supervising editor of the Foreign Policy Bulgaria magazine; and political officer at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington, DC. Tcherneva holds an MA in Political Science from the Rhienische Friedrich-Wilhelm Universität in Bonn.