“Dopo gli ultimi attacchi di Parigi, il terrorismo deve diventare la priorità di un’agenda comune per la sicurezza nell’area euro-atlantica, nel Mediterraneo e in Medio Oriente”, con queste parole il Presidente dell’Atlantic Treaty Association (ATA) e del Comitato Atlantico Italiano, Prof. Fabrizio W. Luciolli, ha avviato i lavori della conferenza su Terrorismo, Sicurezza cooperativa e minacce interconnesse, organizzata a Bruxelles, Palais d’Egmont, il 19 novembre.
La conferenza si è svolta in occasione della 61ª Assemblea Generale dell’ATA al fine di “soluzioni condivise alle attuali minacce e sfide alla sicurezza dei paesi NATO e partner, che non sono solo di natura militare”, ha osservato il Presidente Luciolli.
La Conferenza è stata aperta dal Segretario Generale Delegato della NATO, Amb. Alexander VERSHBOW, che ha tenuto un discorso La NATO verso il Summit di Varsavia. Durante la Conferenza si è discusso delle nuove minacce del terrorismo, della lotta all’ISIS, ma anche di hybrid warfare, della crisi in Ucraina e di fattori d’instabilità come la sicurezza alimentare e i cambiamenti climatici.
Ai lavori hanno preso parte alte autorità di Governo, della NATO e dell’Unione Europea, dei paesi partner del Mediterraneo e del Medio Oriente e del Golfo, personalità del mondo politico, diplomatico, militare, accademico ed economico, insieme ai 300 delegati provenienti dai 37 Consigli Atlantici nazionali dell’ATA, a rappresentanti di organizzazioni internazionali, esperti, ricercatori, esponenti della società civile e del settore privato, giornalisti e operatori dei media.
La Conferenza ha inteso:
– Favorire il dibattito scientifico sulle minacce alla sicurezza per la regione euro-atlantica, mediterranea e del Golfo.
– Promuovere una maggiore consapevolezza sull’indivisibilità della sicurezza nell’area;
– Rafforzare la cooperazione tra decision-makers, funzionari ed esperti provenienti da Europa e Medio Oriente;
– Supportare l’attuazione di strategie di sicurezza cooperativa tra alleati, partner e organizzazioni internazionali;
– Preparare il terreno a progetti e iniziative future sulla sicurezza della regione euro-atlantica, mediterranea e del Golfo.
La Conferenza è stata organizzata dall’ATA e dal Comitato Atlantico Italiano, in collaborazione con Abhath – Al Thuraya Consultancy and Researches e il Mediterranean-Gulf Forum, con il supporto della NATO Public Diplomacy Division, della Rappresentanza degli Stati Uniti presso la NATO e della United Technologies Corporation. Uno speciale riconoscimento per il contributo offerto va al Ministero degli Esteri belga e al Consiglio Atlantico del Belgio.
PROGRAM
November 19 Opening Session
COOPERATIVE SECURITY AND INTERCONNECTED THREATS
Today the security threats are more interconnected than ever. From the East to the Mediterranean and Gulf area, terrorism, hybrid warfare, mass migrations and other non-military instability factors are making our security “indivisible”. Therefore, enhanced “cooperative security” strategies and a proactive and coordinated engagement are necessary to implement timely and effective counter-measures and bring about “common solutions to the common challenges” undermining peace, stability, and socio-economic development.
09.00 Opening Address
Prof. Fabrizio W. LUCIOLLI
President, Atlantic Treaty Association
Addresses
Mr. Ted WHITESIDE
Acting Assistant Secretary General, PDD, NATO
DEFINING COOPERATIVE SECURITY
Maj. Gen. Joseph GUASTELLA
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Intelligence, SHAPE
ROLE OF MILITARY IN COOPERATIVE SECURITY
H.E. Minister Falah Mustafa BAKIR
Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Kurdistan Regional Government – Iraq
STRENGTHENING COOPERATION IN TACKLING NEW THREATS
10.00 Break
First Session
THE NEW DIMENSIONS OF THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
Terrorism is the priority of a common security agenda in the Euro-Atlantic and the Mediterranean-Gulf area. The tragic attacks in Paris proved that the terrorist threat in Europe remains high and very difficult to eradicate. The migrant emergency carries with it the danger of extremist militants penetrating into the European territory, compounding the thorny issue of the “foreign fighters”. At the same time, the fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq is at a critical juncture, although ISIS has also spread across the broader region, particularly in Libya. The session will assess the level of the terrorist threat in the Euro-Atlantic and Mediterranean-Gulf area. The ISIS hybrid techniques and the related counter-measures will also be examined, indicating the way forward to step up cooperation and partnership relations in the fight against terrorism.
10.30 Chairman and Introduction
Mr. Brooks TIGNER
Chief Policy Analyst, Security Europe
Remarks
Mr. Peter SPOOR
Advisor to the European Union Counter-Terrorism Coordinator
H.E. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL
Former President, Islamic Republic of Mauritania
H.E. Mohammed DAHLAN
Former Minister and National Security Advisor, Palestinian National Authority
Mr. David HOBBS
Secretary General, NATO Parliamentary Assembly
11.20 Q/A
11.40 End of the First Session
11.45 Remarks
H.E. François DE KERCHOVE D’EXAERDE
Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council, Belgium
NATO TODAY
Second Session
ENHANCING CAPABILITIES, BUILDING CAPACITIES
During the Wales Summit, NATO Heads of State and Government restated the centrality of collective defense and the relevance of the cooperative approach to security. In this framework, the security of the member countries more affected by the fallouts of the crisis in Ukraine has been strengthened, including with the set-up of the NRF “Spearhead Force” and an effective ballistic missile defense system. New programs for partner countries have also been launched, such as the Defense Capacity Building Initiative. The exercise Trident Juncture, in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, reflects NATO’s determination to successfully face the current security challenges and threats. However, the commitment of the European NATO members to meet the 2% threshold of their GDP for defense spending, even in a time of financial constraints and growing technology costs, is essential to guarantee the interoperability in crisis management operations both among allies and with partners. Looking to the next Warsaw Summit, the session will focus on the current multinational programs aimed at maximizing synergies and developing defense capabilities and capacities facing terrorism and hybrid warfare. The strategic areas where a bolstered industrial cooperation is a major requirement will also be identified.
12.00 Chairman and Introduction
Prof. Julian LINDLEY-FRENCH
Senior Fellow, Institute of Statecraft
Remarks
Mr. Robert BELL
Senior Civilian Representative of the Secretary of Defense in Europe & Defense Advisor,
US Mission to NATO
Sen. Gen. Awani AL ADWAN
Former Chairman of the Joint Task Force, Operation ‘Eager Lion’, Armed Forces of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Mr. Rudy PRIEM
Senior Government Relations Manager for Security & Defense, United Technologies Corp.
Mr. Martin HILL
Chairman of the NATO Industrial Advisory Group
12.40 Q/A
13.00 End of the Second Session
14.45 Remarks
Mr. Thomas EYMOND-LARITAZ
Senior Director, Head of APCO Global Solutions
COMMUNICATION WARFARE: CHALLENGES & PERSPECTIVES
Third Session
FACING THE NON-MILITARY INSTABILITY FACTORS
The unceasing state of turmoil in the Mediterranean and the Middle East is also dependent on root causes of non-military nature. In particular, the nexus between food, water, energy, and climate is emerging as a major strategic challenge with a significant impact at the socio-economic, political, and security level. The rise in energy consumption and environmental degradation, along with the population growth, will increasingly affect the availability of resources in the upcoming future, exacerbating instability and conflicts, mass migrations and humanitarian emergencies. The session will address the long-term trends related to the food-water-energy-climate nexus. The relevant cooperation programs promoted in the Mediterranean and the Middle East by regional actors and international organizations, particularly by NATO, will be examined, along with the most innovative solutions to prevent new food and water crises.
15.00 Chairman and Introduction
Mr. Theodossis GEORGIOU
President, Greek Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation
Remarks
Mr. Nicola DE SANTIS
Head, Middle East and North Africa Countries Section, PASP, NATO
Dr. Ebtesam AL KETBI
President, Emirates Policy Center
H.E. Fouad MAKHZOUMI
Executive Chairman, Future Pipe Industries
Mr. Julius GRUBLIAUSKAS
Deputy Head of Energy Section, Emerging Security Challenges Division, NATO
15.50 Q/A
16.10 End of the Third Session
16.15 Concluding Remarks
Prof. Fabrizio W. LUCIOLLI
President, Atlantic Treaty Association