Podcasts about high representative

Nina and Alexandra open this episode with a discussion of the first round of the much-awaited presidential election in Romania, in which the far-right candidate George Simion blew away the competition. They then talk about Russia's commemoration of Victory in Europe Day taking place on May 9th, including the various guests from our region who plan to attend. Finally, Alexandra provides updates on the student protests in Serbia and Nina closes with some positive news for press freedom in Estonia.For the main interview, Alexandra sits down with Adnan Ćerimagić, Senior Analyst for the Western Balkans at the European Stability Initiative (ESI), to discuss the latest secessionist crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Adnan provides a detailed update of what has transpired in the country since February, when Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik was convicted in the first-instance of defying the orders of Bosnia and Herzegovina's High Representative. He then shares potential future scenarios and explains why this could become a very dangerous situation for the country and for the rest of Europe.  "Negotiating Peace? Trump, Putin and the future of Ukraine" - Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe now online: http://bit.ly/4d8ncXbVisit us online at: www.talkeasterneurope.eu

Baroness Catherine Ashton, formerly the European Union's lead for foreign and security strategy, discusses challenges, opportunities and tips for collaborative strategy-making. As the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Ashton was at the heart of international strategy making between 2009 and 2014 working on some of the world's most intractable problems. She was appointed by the UN Security Council to lead the P5+1 negotiations for a nuclear deal with Iran and was in post when Russia first invaded Ukraine, seizing Crimea and parts of the Donbas in 2014. She also led peace negotiations in the Western Balkans between Serbia and Kosovo, for which she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In this episode, she reflects on strategy-making in an international and supranational context, the challenges facing Europe today and how ‘false binaries' – such as those that posit the EU and NATO as being in opposition – stifle effective strategy elaboration. She argues that strategy makers need preparedness of thought and action, the ability to ground their ambition both in reality but also in individual and organisational values, as well as the will to ask, and respond to, the key question of any adaptive strategy, ‘And then what?'. In an illustrious career, The Rt Hon The Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland LG GCMG PC was a minister, Leader of the House of Lords, the UK's first female Commissioner in the European Union and the High Representative and First Vice President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the Barroso Commission establishing the European External Action Service as a major actor in international affairs.

G7 foreign ministers are meeting against the ever-changing landscape of President Trump's policies, and there's no better example of his administration's impact than in the host country: Canada. Which is still reeling from the shock of its neighbor starting a full-blown trade war. Meantime, Europe faces a triple whammy: Trump tariffs, plus the shockwaves of suddenly being forced to fend for themselves, plus Ukraine's fight for survival. On Ukraine, Russian President Putin says he supports 'the proposal to cease hostilities' but has 'reservations'. Kaja Kallas is the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and was Estonia's Prime Minister until last year. She joined the program from Quebec where the G7 is taking place. Also on today's show: Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar; author Jonathan D. Cohen, “Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amid Evolving Political Reality, Security Council Speakers Urge Breakthrough on Syria's Chemical Weapons Compliance The new political reality in Syria presents an opportunity to obtain long-overdue clarifications on the Syrian chemical weapons programme, rid the country of all such weapons and ensure long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today. “The importance of closing all outstanding issues related to Syria's chemical weapons dossier cannot be overstated,” said Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, during her briefing to the 15-member Council. Although the previous Syrian authorities submitted 20 amendments to Syria's initial declaration, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Declaration Assessment Team was never able to confirm that the information was accurate.  Over the last 11 years, the Team has raised and reported a total of 26 outstanding issues with Syria's declaration. “The OPCW Technical Secretariat has reported that the substance of the 19 outstanding issues remains a ‘serious concern' as it involves large quantities of potentially undeclared or unverified chemical warfare agents and chemical munitions,” she added. The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission and the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team have documented the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and in several incidents, identified the Syrian Arab Armed Forces as the perpetrators.  The OPCW Technical Secretariat has reported that Syria continued to use, and possibly produce, chemical weapons after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013.  “The situation left by the previous Syrian authorities is extremely worrying,” she went on to stress. But, there are some encouraging signs.  The OPCW Director-General recently received assurances that the new authorities are committed to destroying any remains of the chemical weapons programme, bringing justice to the victims and ensuring Syria's compliance with international law.  A new focal point for chemical weapons matters within the Syria's Foreign Ministry travelled to The Hague for in-person meetings with the OPCW Technical Secretariat on how to advance the OPCW's “Nine-Point Action Plan for Syria”. In the coming days, a team of experts from the OPCW Technical Secretariat will be deployed to Damascus to establish OPCW's permanent presence in Syria and start jointly planning deployments to chemical weapons sites.  While the commitment of the caretaker authorities in Syria to fully cooperate with the OPCW Technical Secretariat is commendable, the work ahead will not be easy and will require additional resources from the international community. “I urge the members of this Council to unite and show leadership in providing the support that this unprecedented effort will require,” she said. In the ensuing discussion among Council members, many speakers took note of the developments reported to date, underscoring them as important steps towards implementing relevant Council resolutions and securing Syria's fulfilment of its international commitments.  Several speakers also stressed the importance of ensuring that chemical weapons do not fall into the hands of non-State actors.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/policy-and-rights--3339563/support.

"There is no choice." That's how Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk laid it out yesterday in the European Parliament, while outlining the priorities of Poland during its EU rotating presidency. His message? Europe must arm itself, not just to survive but to thrive in a world where reliance on the U.S. for security is increasingly precarious. Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative echoed this sentiment emphasising the urgent need for the EU to take responsibility for its defence.Is this a shift in Europe's defense strategy? And are we saying yes to Donald Trump's demands on NATO spending?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Trump's second inauguration, Ellen and Alona are joined by Labour peer and diplomat Catherine Ashton. Catherine was formerly leader of the House of Lords, as well as the EU's first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security policy.She shares her experience working with previous US administrations, and what she's expecting to see from the special relationship. In the past, members of Starmer's cabinet have called the president a “buffoon” and a “neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”. Will this come back to bite them?The president's choice of inauguration guests (Starmer: out, Giorgia Meloni: in) tellingly shows new alliances being forged with the right wing in Europe. But what will Trump 2.0 mean for European defence?Plus, banger or dud: Ellen and Alona question whether “Blue Monday” is just a marketing gimmick, or something more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As he nears the end of his term, Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, speaks to Talking Europe about the two crises that he has been most closely involved in: the Middle East and Ukraine. He recounts his efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and in Lebanon, and outlines possible ways to speed up EU assistance to Ukraine. His biggest regret over the past five years? Not being able to bring the EU's 27 member states to a common position on the Middle East. "It has been impossible to talk with a single voice because the positions are too different," he says.

Baltic Ways kicks off a new slate of episodes with an introduction to hosts Dr. Indra Ekmanis and Ben Gardner-Gill, and previews of upcoming topics.Baltic Ways is a podcast brought to you by the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AABS or FPRI.TranscriptIndra Ekmanis: Hello, and welcome to Baltic Ways, the podcast bringing you interviews and insights from the world of Baltic Studies. I'm your host, Indra Ekmanis.Ben Gardner-Gill: And I am your co-host, Ben Gardner-Gill. IE: And we are excited to bring you a new slate of podcast episodes this upcoming season. But before we do that, we wanted to take the opportunity to learn a little bit more about each other as co-hosts and give our listeners a chance to hear about our past Baltic Studies and how the podcast came to be.Stay tuned.So then you've been a guest host on Baltic Ways before and in this season, you'll be joining us more regularly as co-host. But I would love it if you could tell us a little bit more about your background and how you came to be involved in Baltic Studies.BGG: Absolutely. I've had a real deep interest in the Baltic region since I first set foot in Estonia in 2016, I was there on an internship at the Museum of Occupations, as it was then called, now Vabamu. I have had an interest in the broader region of Eastern and Central Europe, dating back to high school and before, just because I have some family roots in the region, but not so much from the Baltic region specifically.S o happening upon this internship in Estonia was a great stroke of luck because I got to learn a great deal about the country, its history, its politics, got to engage on subjects which I'm really interested in—20th century history—in particular, memory studies, and political science. And what really was the start of what is now going to be a lifelong interest is meeting people and getting to know Estonian culture a bit and to make Estonian friends. And I've had the great honor of being able to return to Estonia and see some of those people again and stay in touch with others.I've also been to Latvia and Lithuania a couple times. Most recently, last year in 2023 for the Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe, CBSE Acronis. That's where my interest comes from. And Indra, back at you: I know that your roots in the Baltic region go back a little further.IE: Yes. So my interest in Baltics studies is both personal and professional. Um, my father who was from Latvia was a Baltic studies scholar and he was involved in the association for the advancement of Baltic studies. So I grew up sort of immersed in this world. all Of my school projects growing up were certainly related to Latvia or the Baltic states. I remember very clearly a poster on the presidency of Davorko Vidovic de Verga. I remember writing about Latvia's accession to the European Union, to NATO. But it was only really when I started to professionalize my research and scholarship that I suddenly had this realization that, of course I could've gone in any other different academic direction, but I'm glad I stuck with Baltic studies and I ended up at the University of Washington for graduate school. And that is where I really started to narrow my focus. My undergraduate degree was also in global studies, but at the University of Washington, I really started to think about identity formation in the Baltic states, in the diaspora; Russian speaker identity, post-Soviet identity, and the mechanisms of society and government that support that identity formation; and the way that we think about who we are, the languages that we speak, and the nationalities that we perform, depending on context. So, of course this was influenced by my own experiences in Latvia and as a member of the diaspora in the United States. But I was really fortunate to be at the University of Washington, where of course one of my main advisors was Dr. Guntis Šmidchens, who has also long been involved in the Association for the Advancement of Politics Studies. And it was through his encouragement that I became more heavily involved in AABS (Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies) and now including leading the podcast initiative. I think Baltic studies is one of those unique fields where you really benefit from having an interdisciplinary lens. It allows you to connect with colleagues who are looking at similar problems from a different perspective and that's something that I find particularly interesting. And I think it's one of the reasons that Baltic Ways, our podcast, is a really fascinating one because you have many different entry points into the world of Baltic studies, whether you're interested in economics or culture, identity, formation, politics, cybersecurity, or whatever it might be. There are just so many ways to get into Baltic studies, so many ways to be connected to the field. And it's always really interesting to hear about another aspect of the region that maybe doesn't cross your research path on an everyday basis, but maybe has some lessons for the work that you do. So, tell me a little bit more about your involvement with the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.BGG: I serve as the assistant director for outreach and engagement. It's a part-time position. So I run the association's social media app. I have a hand in web development, the quarterly newsletter, the annual bulletin, which we work on together as well. And I picked up the podcast guest hosting duties, recently, which I was really excited for. Why I particularly was excited to add the podcast to my range of duties was exactly what you just said: It was to provide different entry points for people into Baltic studies. I've spoken with listeners who are coming from really different perspectives. Folks who have a pretty similar background to me, maybe in 20th century history, maybe with an interest in politics, who come in from that angle. I also have turned on a couple of friends to this podcast who have no academic background in Baltic studies. And they find something familiar in some of these episodes because one thing we try to do, and I would dare to say tend to do well, is try to get the meat of the why out of our interviews. Like, okay, what's the sort of critical thing to understand here? Why is this important? Why is this something that people should care about?That's something I really enjoy doing,in the fields that I have a background in, but even more so in disciplines and with experts from fields I don't have a background in. That is something I've really enjoyed and look forward to continuing, this season and maybe beyond.So, Andrea, we've talked a bit about the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, AABS, but the other partner in this podcast is the Foreign Policy Research Institute, FPRI, where you are a fellow. Can you tell us a little bit more about FPRI and how that collaboration was born?IE: Yeah. So FPRI, the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, is a non-partisan, foreign policy think tank. I am a Baltic Sea fellow, in their Baltic initiative, which is under the Eurasia research program. And I actually came to learn about FPRI through an AABS conference where they hosted a luncheon. And after that conference, I began contributing to the Baltic bulletin, which is part of their Baltic initiative. I later became the editor of the Baltic newsletter, which goes out monthly and then the editor of the Baltic bulletin. And it is a really great way to keep in touch with new research and timely topics, primarily around foreign policy in the Baltic Sea region. But as we've talked about, as part of the podcast, there is also the opportunity to think more expansively about Baltic studies in the region. And so when there was interest from AABS to launch Baltic Ways, it seemed like a natural fit and a good opportunity to do so in partnership with FPRI's Baltic initiative, to reach a broad audience of people who are both heavily involved and tangentially interested in the Baltic sea region in a variety of different ways. So to get back to this season, I think we're really excited to continue this collaboration with FPRI, and for you and I, Ben, to start collaborating by sharing these co-hosting duties. We're excited to explore some interesting topics in Baltic studies: some that are very timely and others that are more evergreen. For example, in an upcoming episode, we will talk about the US elections and the impact on the Baltic countries: what either a Kamala Harris or a Donald Trump presidency might look like for Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.BGG: I'm also hoping to speak with some colleagues about decolonization, particularly in the light of the last few years of both public and academic discourse.And we'll also be taking a sort of a European look, at the EU level, with some of the stances of the Baltic states and their positioning. For example, Kayakalas, former prime minister of Estonia, is now going to be the High Representative for foreign affairs, a very senior position in the EU. So what does that mean among other things for the Baltic states?So there's that. There's also more to come, in terms of new scholarship. As you said, we're looking at a range of topics, both in the news and things that are up and coming from the academic space. So, it's gonna be a great mix of topics this year.IE: I'm excited and I'm looking forward to hearing more. And of course we'd love to invite our audience to also send us ideas, topics, or scholars that you'd like to hear on Baltic Ways. BGG: Or if you're a scholar who'd like to be on Baltic Ways also let us know. IE: Yes. Yes. We'd love to chat. Well, thanks so much, Ben, for joining me in this intro, as we jump into a new season of Baltic Ways. BGG: Yes, likewise. IE: Yeah. And thank you to our audience for tuning in. Be sure to follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and we look forward to seeing you for our October episode.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fpribalticinitiative.substack.com

Monday marked a year since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which led Brussels to repeat its calls for a ceasefire and the immediate release of hostages.One year later, Europe is still not on the same page, and in just a few weeks, Kaja Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister, will become the EU's new foreign policy chief.But Kallas is known to be less committed and outspoken on the Middle East than the current High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell.So, what can we expect from Kallas, and how can the EU break the current deadlock in the Middle East? Martin Konecny, director of the European Middle East Project, an independent civil society hub on EU policy towards Israel and Palestine is our guest today.On the EU's daily menu, get ready for a first taste of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.Ahead of his big speech on Wednesday outlining his vision for Hungary's six-month turn at the EU's rotating presidency, Orbán will hold a press conference with MEP Kinga Gál at 2:30 pm today that could steal some of the limelight from a parliamentary debate on the EU's car industry and... himself. Lastly, Radio Schuman dives into one of the EU's toughest challenges: a serious shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare pros. Curious about which countries rely most on foreign medical staff? Here's a hint: Northern Europe's where to look.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Paula Soler, audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron and music by Alexandre Jas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Day in Legal History: The Amsterdam Treaty Broadens the EUOn October 2, 1997, the Amsterdam Treaty was signed by European Union (EU) delegates, marking a significant step in the evolution of the EU's institutional framework and policy ambitions. The treaty aimed to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and democratic legitimacy of the Union, amending previous agreements like the Maastricht Treaty. One of its key features was strengthening the powers of the European Parliament, giving it greater legislative influence through the co-decision procedure, which allowed it to act as an equal legislator with the Council of the European Union.The Amsterdam Treaty also laid the groundwork for the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), aiming for more coordinated diplomatic actions and international influence. It introduced the role of the High Representative for the CFSP to improve coherence in foreign policy. Additionally, the treaty made strides in areas such as justice and home affairs, addressing issues like asylum, immigration, and judicial cooperation across member states. The treaty was also a response to the anticipated enlargement of the EU, as post-Communist countries in Eastern Europe were expected to join, requiring institutional reforms to manage an expanded Union. The Amsterdam Treaty signaled a shift toward a more integrated and politically unified Europe, preparing the EU for the challenges of a growing membership and a more globalized world.Alphabet Inc.'s Google is facing a renewed antitrust lawsuit from Sensory Inc., a voice recognition technology company, accusing the tech giant of monopolistic practices in the voice assistant market. Sensory alleges that Google used its dominance in general search to create barriers preventing consumers from using alternative voice assistants and wakeword software to access non-Google search engines. This lawsuit revives a previous case from April 2022, which was paused to allow other antitrust litigation against Google to proceed. In August, the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that Google had illegally monopolized the search market through exclusivity agreements. Sensory claims Google extended this behavior by preventing hardware manufacturers from allowing consumers to choose competing voice assistants with non-Google search engines. Sensory also argues that Google imposes restrictions on wakeword technology in various devices, including smartphones, home electronics, and cars, ensuring competitors like Siri and Bixby default to Google's search engine. Google has not yet commented on the case.Google Hit With Renewed Antitrust Suit Over Voice AssistantsThe US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has paused a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) case involving Amazon, following claims that the agency violates constitutional principles. Amazon argues that the NLRB breaches the separation of powers by acting as both prosecutor and judge, after it rejected Amazon's objections to a union election at a Staten Island warehouse. Amazon sought an emergency injunction to halt the NLRB's internal litigation regarding its refusal to bargain with the union. When a lower court didn't rule on the request, Amazon appealed to the Fifth Circuit, which had recently blocked a similar case involving SpaceX. Amazon's lawsuit challenges the constitutional structure of the NLRB, claiming its members are unconstitutionally shielded from removal by the president and that the agency's quasi-judicial powers violate the Seventh Amendment's guarantee of a jury trial. This case is part of a broader wave of constitutional challenges to the NLRB's authority. Neither Amazon nor the NLRB have commented on the ruling.Fifth Circuit Halts Amazon NLRB Case Over Constitutional DisputeThe Biden administration is pressuring U.S. port employers to improve their offer to striking dockworkers from the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA). The strike, now in its second day, has disrupted shipping across dozens of ports from Maine to Texas, affecting goods from food to automobiles and causing significant economic strain. With over 38 ships waiting to dock, the strike could cost the U.S. economy $5 billion per day. Despite a 50% wage hike offer from the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), the ILA, led by Harold Daggett, is demanding more, including a $5 hourly raise per year and a halt to port automation projects. President Biden has urged foreign ocean carriers, which profited during the pandemic, to agree to a fair contract, while the administration monitors for price gouging. Retailers have initiated backup plans to mitigate potential impacts on the holiday season. Economists warn that while the strike could raise inflation, the broader economic effects depend on its duration. The National Retail Federation and some Republicans are calling on Biden to halt the strike, but he has refused.US port strike backed by White House | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

With war raging in Gaza, in November 2023, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell called for a greater involvement of the European Union in the Middle East. The announcement followed criticism accusing the EU of inaction in front of the conflict. But what has happened since then?Europe, Day by Day is a Europod production in partnership with Sphera Network. The executive producer of Europe, Day by Day is Alexander Damiano Ricci. The host of Europe, Day by Day is Emma Belmonte. The scriptwriter of this episode is Emma Belmonte.This episode was produced and edited by Seden Anlar.Original soundtrack by Thomas Kusberg. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renate Nikolay is deputy director-general at DG Connect (Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology) at the European Commission.  _______________ Chapters: (0:00) Introdução (2:42) English intro (8:02) Opportunities and challenges of the digital revolution | GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) |  AI Act + AI innovation package | Data Act  (16:12)  Digital Services Act (DSA) | The role of DSA in fighting desinformation during the EU elections | Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal (22:41) Artificial intelligence:  why the EU stepped in in providing open-access supercomputers | Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US (28:13) Does EU regulation stifle innovation? | Recent paper by Anu Bradford: The False Choice Between Digital Regulation and Innovation | Hiroshima AI process  (33:19)  Digital Decade policy programme. | 2023 report. (35:48) Economic security: the importance of ensuring production of semiconductors in Europe. |  Chips Act (38:07) The future: what will change in the EU's role in the digital arena? _______________ O tema de hoje é a revolução digital que estamos a viver e, em particular, a estratégia da UE para lidar com ela: tentando regular os riscos destas tecnologias e, ao mesmo tempo, potenciar a inovação digital no continente. A tecnologia e o mundo digital sempre me interessaram -- ou não estivessemos num podcast, uma espécie de rádio digital --, mas sobre as políticas da UE nesta área tinha, até há pouco tempo, apenas uma ideia vaga. …E não era uma ideia especialmente positiva, muito influenciada pelas críticas (que certeza já ouviram por aí) de que enquanto os EUA inovam e criam grandes empresas, a especialidade da Europa é basicamente…regular. Mas a verdade é que tenho vindo a mudar a minha visão desde que passei a colaborar de perto com a DG Connect -- que é o departamento da CE responsável por esta área --, enquanto “embaixador digital”; um grupo que reune pessoas activas no mundo digital dos vários países da União. Nas viagens que tenho feito a Bruxelas nos últimos tempos, e em discussões com quem lá trabalha, tenho percebido que existe, na UE, uma visão para o mundo digital que, não sendo imune a críticas, é claramente pensada, multifacetada e a olhar para o futuro. Por isso, decidi que estava na altura de trazer este tema ao podcast. A convidada é Renate Nikolay, que é directora adjunta na DG Connect e alguém que, como vão perceber, defende esta visão de forma muito coerente. _______________ Esta conversa foi editada por: Hugo Oliveira _______________ Bio: Renate Nikolay is deputy director general at DG Connect. Before that, she was head of cabinet of Vera Jourova, the European commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality. Before that, she led the Unit of interinstitutional and international relations in DG Justice between 2011 and 2014. She has also been an advisor in the cabinet of the first High Representative and Vice President Catherine Ashton where she led on the relations with the European Parliament in setting up the European External Action Service (EEAS) and on relations with Asia, in particular China. Before that, she was a member of the cabinet of Trade Commissioners Peter Mandelson and Catherine Ashton from 2004 to 2009. She started her career in the European Commission in the department for trade in November 2003 dealing with the accession negotiations of Vietnam to the World Trade Organisation and with the trade policy committee with the member states. She has also been a diplomat in the German Permanent Representation in Brussels and worked as private secretary to the German G8 sherpa in the German Ministry of Economics. Nikolay holds an M.A. as a Fulbright Scholar in Washington DC and a B.A. in law from the Free University in Berlin.

Welcome to “Going Viral”, the fourth episode of “Ok Doomer!” the podcast series by The European Leadership Network's (ELN) New European Voices on Existential Risk (NEVER) network. Hosted by the ELN's Policy and Impact Director, Jane Kinninmont, and the ELN's Project and Communications Coordinator, Edan Simpson, this episode will examine the existential and global catastrophic threats posed by new biological technologies. Jane kicks off the episode in “What's the Problem?” Where we also hear from Jasper Götting, a research fellow in the biosecurity team of Convergent Research and a member of our NEVER network, whose work focuses on road mapping technical biosecurity interventions, and technological mitigation techniques against biological risks, such as how we could potentially disinfect the air to guard against future pandemics. Jasper breaks down the different types of biological risks, including natural versus engineered pathogens, natural spillovers, accidental releases, and deliberate releases, as well as a discussion on what previous pandemics, including SARS and COVID, taught us when preparing for potential future pandemics. Edan's “How To Fix It” panel features Angela Kane, a member of the ELN's Senior Network with over 35 years of experience working for the United Nations, most recently as the assistant secretary general for political affairs and the High Representative for disarmament. Angela now works as a senior advisor to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, primarily supporting them on their bio initiatives to reduce global catastrophic biological risks. She's joined by NEVER member Anemone Franz, a physician with experience in pandemic preparedness and biosecurity. Anemone is an Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Fellow at John Hopkins Centre for Health Security and has previously worked on vaccine platform development. Lastly, Dr. Emil Iftikhar rounds up the panel. He recently graduated from his PhD and is currently working as a political affairs intern at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs at the Implementation Support Unit of the Biological Weapons Convention in Geneva, Switzerland. The panel discusses whether or not world leaders have learnt the right lessons from COVID-19, the current state of global biological threat governance at organisations such as the UN, and what's needed in terms of public sector, private sector, and governmental collaborations to properly screen and mitigate the existential risks posed by biological threats – especially in the context of other technologies like AI and synthetic DNA. Moving on to “Turn Back The Clock”, where we look back to a time in history when humanity was faced with a potential existential threat but pulled back from the brink of destruction. On today's episode, Jane is joined by Bekki Field, a Senior Associate Fellow at the European Leadership Network and a former head of pandemic preparedness for the UK government. They discuss the links between pandemics and existential threats, observations on disinformation and public trust, as well as the political, societal and economic benefits of pandemic prevention and preparedness. Finally, as always, the episode is wrapped up in “The Debrief,” where Jane and Edan review the episode and all their guests to make sense of everything covered. Catch up on previous episodes, and make sure to subscribe to future episodes of ‘Ok Doomer! Follow the ELN on:X (formerly known as Twitter)LinkedInFacebook

For the episode #48 of We Belong, we interviewed Stefano Manservisi, former Director-General at the European Commission. Prior to that, he was the Head of the Private Office of Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs. In 2014, Mr. Manservisi was the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey. He held different positions at the Commission, including as Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs, and Director-General for Development and Relations with African, Caribbean, and Pacific States. He has also headed the Private Offices of the Commission's President Romano Prodi and Commissioner Mario Monti. In conversation with Mr Manservisi, we discussed his approach to serve as an inclusive leader: he shared concrete examples of dialogue and intercultural understanding through his European career and he explained why we need a Commissioner from immigration backgrounds for the next European Commission's mandate. Ahead of the European Elections, Mr Manservisi reflects on the urgency of involving youth and immigrant descents in public debates and the importance of promoting peace as the core mission of the European project. Episode recorded with the support of Silversquare.

Catherine Ashton, or The Right Honourable, The Baroness Ashton of Upholland, LG GCMG PC was created a life peer by Tony Blair in 1999.In the Blair government she was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education and Skills, and in the Ministry of Justice. During Gordon Brown's government she became Leader of the House of Lords, Lord President of the Council, the British European Commissioner and the Commissioner for Trade in the European Commission.She was appointed a Privy Councillor in May 2006. She served as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and was the First Vice President of the European Commission between 2009 and 2014.In 2013, she worked as a negotiator between Serbia and Kosovo, bringing them to an agreement, and she worked alongside John Kerry in the talks with Iran which led to the interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme.In 2023, she released her memoir titled 'And Then What? Inside Stories of 21st Century Diplomacy', about her time as a diplomat...Oh also, she's a big Doctor Who fan.Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_AshtonEncyclopaedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-Ashton-Baroness-Ashton-of-Upholland'And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy' publisher's site: https://eandtbooks.com/books/and-then-what/The Cluster F Theory Podcast is edited by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-cluster-f-theory-podcast/id1736982916Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4bBn54hiImeoyDNmTcIr?si=729367e48b0940d9Thanks for reading The Cluster F Theory Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support the podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theclusterftheory.substack.com

His Excellency Amr Moussa has had a distinguished career in the world of international diplomacy and cooperation. He served as the Ambassador of Egypt to India for 3 years in 1983, he was the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the UN in 1990, he was the Foreign Minister of Egypt for 10 years until 2001, when he became Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.  He continues to leave an impact today as an elected member of the Panel of the Wise, a critical pillar of the Peace and Security Architecture of the African Union, and as Chairman of the High-Level Advisory Council to the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations or UNAOC. This episode was brought to you by EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello, and welcome to episode 93 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I'm Chris Kirkbride. It is yet another busy week for financial crime. A range of stories across the whole of financial crime, with sanctions, fraud, and money laundering all vying for top spot. Also this week, Transparency International has published its annual Corruption Perceptions Index. We'll also review this week's cyber-attack news, with a huge story out of the US. Lots to get into, so let's crack on. As usual, I have linked the main stories flagged in the podcast in the description. These are: British and Irish Legal Information Institute, R v Gross [2024] EWCA Crim 21.Council of the European Union, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: Council renews economic sanctions for a further 6 months.Council of the European Union, Cyber: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union, expressing solidarity with Australia on the impact of cyber-attacks against its health sector.Department of Justice, Three Individuals Charged for Roles in $1.89B Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme.Elspeth Berry, Why We Still Don't Know Who Controls British Firms, and Why it Matters (Oxford Business Law Blog).European Parliament, Anti-corruption: MEPs to push for stricter EU-wide measures and penalties.Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FinCEN Finds Iraq-based Al-Huda Bank to be of Primary Money Laundering Concern and Proposes a Rule to Combat Terrorist Financing.Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Proposal of Special Measure regarding Al-Huda Bank, as a Foreign Financial Institution of Primary Money Laundering Concern.FT Adviser, Financial data from 53mn individuals involved in data breaches.National Crime Agency, $150m cryptocurrency seizure following US-UK cooperation.National Crime Agency, SARs in Action (Issue 24).Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Financial Sanctions Notice: Iran.Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Guidance: Who is subject to financial sanctions in the UK?Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Statutory guidance – Russia sanctions: guidance.Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Financial Sanctions Notice: Russia.Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Price Cap Coalition - Oil Price Cap (OPC) Compliance and Enforcement Alert.Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Financial Sanctions Notice: Myanmar.Office of Foreign Assets Control, The United States and United Kingdom Target Iranian Transnational Assassinations Network.Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Treasury Takes Action to Protect Iraqi Financial System From Abuse.Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury Designates ISIS Cyber Facilitators and Trainers.Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury Sanctions Military Cronies and Companies in Burma Three Years after Military Coup.Office of the New York State Attorney General, Attorney General James Sues Citibank for Failing to Protect and Reimburse Victims of Electronic Fraud.Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC Charges Founder of $1.7 Billion “HyperFund” Crypto Pyramid Scheme and Top Promoter with Fraud.Transparency International, CPI 2023: Corruption and (In)Justice (press release).Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index.United States District Court for the Southern District Of New York, THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, by LETITIA JAMES, Attorney General of the State of New York v Citibank N.A.US Department of Justice, Lexington Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Related to COVID-19 Relief.US Department of Justice, U.S. Government Disrupts Botnet People's Republic of China Used to Conceal Hacking of Critical Infrastructure.

The supply of weapons and ammunition into any armed conflict raises significant concerns about the potential escalation of violence,” said Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. Warning against risks of weaponry falling into wrong hands, she called for measures, comprehensive pre-transfer diversion risk assessments, end-user certificates and post-shipment verifications, among others.

How do we retain empathy when negotiating with a stranger who has a radically different worldview to our own? As the former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Cathy Ashton worked with many world leaders: Vladimir Putin in Russia, Serbia's Ivica Dacic, Kosovo's Hashim Thaci, and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Former Leader of the House of Lords, Cathy Ashton has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her diplomacy. Listen to hear Rory and Alastair discuss her life, the European Union, conflicts abroad, and why empathy is so important in foreign affairs.  TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics. Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @RestIsPolitics Email: restispolitics@gmail.com Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of "Small Islands, Big Picture", Emily and Matthew look at the United Nation's new Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), how it relates to age-old debates about small-state vulnerability, and why it could lead to a long-overdue shift in the allocation of international aid. In "Island Voices", Theresa Meki speaks about the meaning of vulnerability and George Carter highlights different aspects of SIDS' vulnerability that need to be considered. In "The Big Picture", Fatumanava-o-Upolu III Dr Pa'olelei Luteru reports on how work on the MVI is proceeding. In "No Stupid Questions", Emily and Matt answer "Does thinking of Small Island Developing States through the prism of vulnerability risk infantilising them?".Featuring:Emily Wilkinson (host) | RESI Director and Senior Research Fellow, ODIMatthew Bishop (host) | RESI Director and Senior Lecturer, University of SheffieldGaston Browne | Prime Minister of Antigua-Barbuda and Co-Chair, UN High-Level Panel on the MVIFatumanava-o-Upolu III Dr Pa'olelei Luteru | Permanent Respresentative of Samoa, UN High-Level Panel on the MVITheresa Meki | Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National UniversityGeorge Carter | RESI Co-director and Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National UniversityResources:ODI event | Putting the Glasgow Climate Pact into action: accounting for vulnerabilityProgramme page | Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI)Policy brief | A global bargain for resilient prosperity in Small Island Developing StatesUN website | Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States“Small Islands, Big Picture” is a new podcast from The Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative (RESI) and ODI which will shine a spotlight on the unique challenges and remarkable resilience of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) around the world. Hosts - and RESI directors – Dr Emily Wilkinson and Dr Matthew Bishop will be joined by expert guests from the Caribbean, Pacific and beyond to discuss the political, economic, social and environmental issues facing SIDS today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The i Newspaper's Chief Political Commentator, Paul Waugh, discusses the biggest political stories of the week with guests. Paul Waugh discusses the public sector pay settlements with former Treasury Minister, Dame Angela Eagle, and the Conservative Chair of the Education Select Committee, Robin Walker. Baroness Catherine Ashton, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, delivers her assessment of the NATO Summit. Labour Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Dame Diana Johnson, and fellow Conservative Committee member, Tim Loughton, discuss the Illegal Migration Bill. And, former Conservative special adviser Sam Freedman, and The Guardian's Media Editor, Jim Waterson, discuss what the arrival of new social media app 'Threads' means for politicians and journalists.

Whenever the word Taiwan is uttered by certain Western politicians it has become their habit to accompany it with an accusing finger pointed at Beijing. Sticking faithfully to the script written by Washington, they try to paint the picture that Beijing is using "threats, coercion, intimidation or the use of force" in a bid to change the status quo.每当某些西方政客提到台湾这个词时，他们就会习惯性地将矛头转过来指责中国。这些政客奉美国谱写的剧本为圭臬，试图描绘出一副中国正用“威胁、胁迫、恐吓或使用武力”来改变现状的画面。Some have even tried to link the Taiwan question with the conflict in Ukraine.有些政客甚至试图将台湾问题与乌克兰冲突联系起来。Such talk is irresponsible and has been firmly rebutted by Beijing, which has repeatedly clarified that the Taiwan question is an internal affair and therefore fundamentally different from the Ukraine issue. Which is something that even the countries hyping up the claim that the Chinese mainland is itching to use force implicitly acknowledge as they all say they adhere to the one-China policy.中国坚决反驳这种不负责任的言论，中国一再强调，台湾问题是中国内政，与乌克兰问题有着本质的区别。即使是那些大肆宣扬中国迫不及待要使用武力的国家也都承认这一点，因为他们都表示坚持一个中国政策。The United States has made no bones about the fact that it is using the Taiwan question as part of its "Indo-Pacific" China-containment strategy, and many of its allies, such as the United Kingdom and Japan, are tagging along for the ride as they have forgotten how to stand on their own two feet.美国毫不掩饰将台湾问题作为其用来遏制中国的“印太战略”的一部分，包括英国、日本在内的美国盟友们也纷纷行动，它们尾随美国之后，已经忘记了如何自食其力。Some countries in the European Union, however, seem caught on the horns of a dilemma, as whether to go all-in with the US or not in its efforts to suppress China's rise has become a pressing question that will determine if the bloc asserts or surrenders its strategic autonomy.然而，欧盟的一些国家似乎陷入了两难的境地，在美国压制中国崛起的行动中，是否与美国同流合污已成为一个紧迫的问题，这将决定欧盟是坚持还是放弃其战略自主权。The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell shed some light on the pickle the EU has got itself into in an article published in a French weekly on Sunday.4月23日，欧盟外交与安全事务高级代表何塞·博雷利（音译）在法国某周刊发表的一篇文章中阐明了欧盟陷入的困境。Calling for European nations to send warships to the Taiwan Strait to "signify Europe's commitment to freedom of navigation", he said that Taiwan "concerns us economically, commercially and technologically". And he explained why — "because Taiwan has a strategic role in the production of the most advanced semiconductors". That this comment came after he attended the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Japan is probably no coincidence. It echoes similar remarks of the top diplomat of the US in the meeting.博雷利呼吁欧洲国家向台湾海峡派遣军舰以“表明欧洲对航行自由的承诺”，他说台湾“在经济、商业和技术上都与欧盟有关”。他解释了原因——“因为台湾在生产最先进的半导体方面具有战略作用”。博雷利发表此番言论的时间正好在出席了日本举办的七国集团外长会议后，恐怕并非巧合。这与七国集团外长会议上美国国务卿的类似言论相呼应。But putting aside the fact the semiconductor risk comes from Washington, which is trying to get an exclusive and iron grip on the production of the most advanced semiconductors, it shows that the EU hierarchy at least is still intent on toeing Washington's line. The only reason Borrell would call for European warships to patrol the Taiwan Strait is to please Washington. Why? Because, the EU leaders, who are of a certain generation, believe the bloc has "a major security concern, Ukraine".但抛开半导体风险是美国制造这一事实不谈，美国正试图牢牢地、独裁地掌控最先进半导体的生产，这表明欧盟高层至少仍打算听从美国的安排。博雷利呼吁欧洲军舰巡逻台湾海峡的唯一原因是为了取悦美国。为什么呢？因为这一代的欧盟领导人认为欧盟有“一个主要的安全问题“，即乌克兰。But Borrell — and other Western politicians — should know that European warships sailing though the Taiwan Strait is not conducive to peace and stability. Every time they do so, it will be a provocative move to intervene in China's internal affairs.但博雷利和其他西方政客应该知道，欧洲军舰在台湾海峡航行不利于和平与稳定。他们每次这样做，都将是干涉中国内政的挑衅行为。Any such provocation risks disaster as it is foolishly playing with fire.任何此类挑衅都可能引发灾难，因为这是在愚蠢地玩火。Internal英/ɪnˈtɜːn(ə)l/ 美/ɪnˈtɜːrn(ə)l/adj.内政的，国内的Strait英/streɪt/ 美/streɪt/n.海峡Semiconductor英/ˌsemikənˈdʌktə(r)/ 美/ˈsemikəndʌktər/n.半导体

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Catherine Ashton, former High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to discuss her new book, And Then What. Catherine's book draws on her experience in the role to provide insights on international diplomacy and the strategic importance of the Western Balkans for the EU and the US. 

H.E. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is Croatia's 4th and 1st female President (2015-2020) with broad national and international experience in politics, diplomacy, and security studies. During her career as an elected official and in national and international civil service, among others, she was elected a Member of the Croatian Parliament (2003) and served as Croatia's first female Minister of Foreign Affairs (2003-2008) and Ambassador to the United States, Mexico, Panama and the Organisation of American States (2008-2011), as well as the first female Assistant Secretary General and member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Senior Leadership (2011-2014).She was elected an independent member of the International Olympic Committee in 2020, and has been appointed Chair of the Future Hosts Commission for the Games of the Olympiad. She is a Special Advisor to the Dean of the Zagreb School of Economics and Management. She serves on the boards of several not-for-profit institutions, such as Friends of Europe, the US Atlantic Council, GLOBSEC, Halifax International Security Forum, the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, and the Concordia Leadership Council. She is a Member of the High-Level Advisory Council for the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the Global Ambassador for Immunization for Women Political Leaders (WPL), and chair emerita of the Council of Women World Leaders.Parallel to her diplomatic and political careers, she has pursued an academic career in government, international relations, and security studies at the Vienna Diplomatic Academy (1994-1995), the George Washington University (2002-2003), Harvard University (2009), the Johns Hopkins University (2011), and the University of Zagreb. She holds a Master's degree and is writing a Ph.D. thesis in International Relations and Security Studies on the Responsibility to Protect. She received the 2019 Fulbright Lifetime Achievement award for her "remarkable contributions as a leader, diplomat, and public servant," the George Washington University President's medal, and many other national and international awards, decorations, recognitions, honorary doctorates and honorary citizenships.Quotes From This Episode"You have to be persistent. You have to be patient, and you have to be creative""Human rights are not an internal issue any longer. And it's not somebody else's business. It's the responsibility of all of us to ensure that they are respected everywhere in the world.""You have to be able to adjust your goals and adjust your plans. But even when you have to do that, you have to keep in mind that you shouldn't be adjusting your values."Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeSong:  A Voice for Ukraine by Slava Vakarchuk About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are important views to be aware of. Nothing can replace your own research and exploration.About The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in the study, practice, and teaching of leadership. 

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

When she was chosen as the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) in 2009, Catherine Ashton admits she "felt no exhilaration", fearing she had "few obvious credentials and lukewarm support". On leaving office five years later - 19 months before the Brexit referendum - this former British minister had confounded her inner doubter. A new European External Action Service had been built from scratch and the HR/VP had become a pivotal global player - brokering what had seemed an impossible settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and performing the role of closer in the multi-party Iranian nuclear negotiations. Ashton's memoirs of those five years - And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy (Elliott & Thompson, 2023) - go behind the scenes during critical moments in recent diplomatic history including Egypt's excruciating transition from dictatorship to uneasy democracy, the Iranian nuclear deal, the fragile Serb-Kosovan talks, and the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. She writes: "Success is rarely the effect of one moment but of thousands of interlocking actions over a sustained period; and tiny details, especially in difficult negotiations, can make the difference between success and failure even if they seem arbitrary or inconsequential". *Her book recommendations are Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison (Longman, 1971) and Never by Ken Follett (Macmillan, 2021) Tim Gwynn Jones is an economic and political-risk analyst at Medley Advisors, who also writes the Twenty-Four Two newsletter on Substack and hosts the In The Room podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cathy Ashton, the EU's first High Representative for Foreign and Policy Security, 2009-2014, talks to Paul Adamson about her new memoir 'And Then What?: Inside Stories of 21st-Century Diplomacy'.

From 2009 to 2014, Baroness Catherine Ashton was the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. She faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent periods in living memory. From Russia's invasion of Crimea to the Iran nuclear negotiations, she faced the challenge of solving immediate problems while constantly asking ‘and then what' and keeping long-term solution building at the heart of these conversations. Here with the British diplomat Sir Robert Cooper, Catherine takes us inside the world of modern diplomacy, sharing the realities of long negotiations, hard-won triumphs, and conversations with far-reaching impact. While reflecting on the broader work and operations of the EU and Britain's historic role in that, Catherine will also offer crucial insight into the political situation across Europe today.#RSAdiplomacy Become an RSA Events sponsor: https://utm.guru/udI9xDonate to The RSA: https://utm.guru/udNNBFollow RSA Events on Instagram: https://instagram.com/rsa_events/Follow the RSA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSAEventsLike RSA Events on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rsaeventsofficialJoin our Fellowship: https://www.thersa.org/fellowship/join

Lady Catherine Ashton, Former Vice President of the European Commission and former High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, joins Jason Greenblatt to discuss Iran, Russia, Ukraine & Diplomacy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is Part 2 of my discussion with Dr Jasmin Mujanovic. If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, I suggest you do that first, as elements of the remainder of the conversation may otherwise seem out of context. You can listen to part 1 here. Some of the topics we cover in this part are: Details of the controversial electoral law amendment made by the High Representative Perceptions, real or otherwise, of the High Representative's bias and conflict of interest Croat nationalism and its influence The role of Croatia and Serbia in Bosnia's integrity and sovereignty EU vs NATO prospects for Bosnia and Herzegovina What role Russia plays in the Western Balkans The machinations to redesign the Western Balkans Assessment of the likelihood of renewed violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina Thank you for listening and if you're getting value out of the show, please consider becoming a patron of The Voices Of War here.

My guest today is Dr Jasmin Mujanovic, who is a political scientist and policy specialist in southeast European and international affairs.  He has worked as a scholar, policy analyst, consultant, researcher, and writer in both North America and Europe. Jasmin's academic research concentrates primarily on the politics of contemporary south-eastern Europe, with a particular focus on the politics of the non-EU states of the Western Balkans. He joins me today to discuss the unfolding constitutional crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some of the topics discussed in Part 1 are: The political system of Bosnia and Herzegovina Embedded tensions in Bosnian politics Political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina Impact of Serb and Croat nationalism in Bosnia Status of the 2nd of October general elections Irregularities in the election Victory of Pro-Bosnian candidates in the Federation entity Attempts of further sectarian segregation by nationalists Part 2 will be released on Thursday, 27th of October where we do a deep dive into the controversial decision by the High Representative to change the electoral law on the night of the elections. We also explore what this means for Bosnia and Herzegovina more broadly and what role regional and global powers play in the nation's future.   If you like what you've heard, please consider liking and reviewing the show wherever you get your pods. You can also support the show on our Patreon page here. 

Josep Borell, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has triggered a controversy by saying that Europe was a garden and “most of the rest of the world” was a jungle. He warned in a speech at the European Diplomatic Academy on the 13th of October, that the “jungle could invade the garden”. He continued, “The gardeners should take care of it, but they will not protect the garden by building walls. A nice small garden surrounded by high walls in order to prevent the jungle from coming in is not going to be a solution. Because the jungle has a strong growth capacity, and the wall will never be high enough in order to protect the garden. The gardeners have to go to the jungle. Europeans have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Otherwise, the rest of the world will invade us, by different ways and means.” So what does this speech mean for the rest of the world? Does it signal a formal end to globalisation and integration? Does it reflect the true state of the world? Are these rare candid remarks from a serving European bureaucrat? 

French citizen and tourist, Benjamin Briere has been held hostage in Iran since May 2020. He has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a crime he did not commit. On the day of his sentencing, the French Foreign Ministry stated that Benjamin's “completely groundless sentence is unacceptable.” He is one of four known French citizens currently held hostage in Iran. On this episode, we have the honour of speaking to Benjamin's sister, Blandine Briere to find out what we can do to help bring him back home to France. Blandine walks us through Benjamin's disappearance when he was in Iran, finding out he had been arrested and placed in solitary confinement for over a month, his hunger strike in prison, his unfair trial as well as how Benjamin and Blandine have both been coping with this trauma. We also discuss what the Iranian authorities, French government and European Union should do. As part of this conversation, we discuss the open letter Blandine and the families of other European hostages in Iran wrote to Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. We then end this episode talking about how journalists and the public can help bring Benjamin home. If you prefer, you can watch the video version of this interview on YouTube. For more information on Benjamin Briere, please check out the following:Free Benjamin Briere petitionBlandine Briere's Twitter accountSocial media hashtag: FreeBenGet the latest updates on hostage cases we at Pod Hostage Diplomacy are working on including new episodes by subscribing to our fortnightly newsletter, the Hostage Briefing. Subscribe here.You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.Support the show

"We need to be inspired by the young population…It's our goal is to make sure that every student will find the place and do the jobs… that they are the best at. Looking for talent is a key thing” Justyna Orlowska, Prime Minister's High Representative for Government Technology and Game Development and the Minister of Education and Science's High Representative for Digital Transformation in Poland, shares some valuable insights in our Technology for Good podcast series. For the next 5 episodes of Technology for Good, we are focusing on technological challenges and opportunities through the eyes of some incredible and inspirational women in tech, in the run up to and during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, or PP-22. This major event will gather policymakers from ITU's 193 member states to take decisions that will shape the future of technology, making it greener, more gender and youth inclusive and more accessible to everyone on our planet.This podcast is the sixteenth episode of Technology for Good- an ITU podcast series that focuses on how technology is helping to shape the world around us.Listen now...and don't forget to like and subscribe to be among the first to hear the next episode!Available on Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.Presented and Directed by: Maximillian Jacobson-GonzalezCo-presented by: Martina CamelliniProduced and Edited by: Gianluca AllariaProduction Assistants: Adeleh Mojtahed, Tiziana Ballester

I am pleased to invite Zachary Paikin into the Virtual Studio to discuss the state of EU foreign policy. While the major countries in Europe – France, Germany and Italy maintain national foreign policies, the EU has continued to strive to promote an EU foreign policy under the leadership of the current High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security, Josep Borrel. This is perceived to be particularly significant in the light of Russia's war against Ukraine and the rising tensions between the US and China. Zach Paikin today is a Researcher in the EU Foreign Policy unit at CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies). He is also a Nonresident Research Fellow with the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy in Toronto and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Global Policy Institute in London. Zach is also an affiliated expert with the Minsk Dialogue Council on International Relations. Zach has a number of publications with CEPS, including with colleagues: ‘The EU's Strategic Compass: A guide to reverse strategic shrinkage?' So come join Zach Paikin and I as we examine EU foreign policy.

Rapidly identifying an emerging infectious pathogen is critical to  prevent a disease outbreak from becoming an epidemic -- or even a deadly pandemic. But right now, there is no agreed international mechanism to do so. Veteran UN diplomat Angela Kane is trying to change that. She is working to create a new UN body to strengthen UN capabilities to investigate high-consequence biological events of unknown origin. Angela Kane, is the Sam Nunn Distinguished Fellow at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. She is a veteran diplomat who has held several senior positions at the United Nations, including Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Under-Secretary-General for Management, and High Representative for Disarmament.     

What's Russia up to in cyberspace, nowadays? Belgium accuses China of cyberespionage. LockBit ransomware spreading through compromised servers. Malek Ben Salem from Accenture explains the Privacy Enhancing Technologies of Federated Learning with Differential Privacy guarantees. Rick Howard speaks with Rob Gurzeev from Cycognito on Data Exploitation. And Micodus GPS tracker vulnerabilities should motivate the user to turn the thing off. For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news briefing: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/11/136 Selected reading. Continued cyber activity in Eastern Europe observed by TAG (Google) Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on malicious cyber activities conducted by hackers and hacker groups in the context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine (European Council) China: Declaration by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Belgian Government urging Chinese authorities to take action against malicious cyber activities undertaken by Chinese actors (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs)  Déclaration du porte-parole de l'Ambassade de Chine en Belgique au sujet de la déclaration du gouvernement belge sur les cyberattaques (Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Belgium) LockBit: Ransomware Puts Servers in the Crosshairs (Broadcom Software Blogs | Threat Intelligence) Critical Vulnerabilities Discovered in Popular Automotive GPS Tracking Device (MiCODUS MV720) (BitSight) CISA released Security Advisory on MiCODUS MV720 Global Positioning System (GPS) Tracker (CISA)

Will Israel be headed to its fifth Knesset elections in the past three and a half years or will an opposition member - namely former Prime Minister Netanyahu succeed in forming a government within the current Knesset? The Israeli public should have an answer to that question by the end of the week. At the same time the EU obsession with trying to bring Iran into the mainstream world community continues with Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the EU, reportedly visiting Tehran. Israel's Foreign Minister (and possible interim Prime Minister) Yair Lapid was not too pleased with the visit, on the heels of reports that the Iranians had plotted to murder Israelis in Turkey. Plus all the latest news from Israel on this week's Israel Uncensored with Josh Hasten. Photo Credit: Knesset_1368 / Commons Wikimedia

There's international consensus on the cyberattack against Viasat. Kaspersky remains under investigation. The Nerbian RAT is out. NPM dependencies are exploited, but to what end? Caleb Barlow examines Russia's future on the internet. Our guest is Deepen Desai from Zscaler with the latest phishing research. And new advisories from CISA and its partners. For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news briefing: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/11/91 Selected reading. Nerbian RAT Using COVID-19 Themes Features Sophisticated Evasion Techniques (Proofpoint) NPM dependency confusion hacks target German firms (ReversingLabs) npm Supply Chain Attack Targeting Germany-Based Companies (JFrog) Adminer in Industrial Products (CISA) Eaton Intelligent Power Protector (CISA)  Eaton Intelligent Power Manager Infrastructure (CISA)  Eaton Intelligent Power Manager (CISA) AVEVA InTouch Access Anywhere and Plant SCADA Access Anywhere (CISA)  Mitsubishi Electric MELSOFT GT OPC UA (CISA)  CISA Adds One Known Exploited Vulnerability to Catalog (CISA)  Alert (AA22-131A) Protecting Against Cyber Threats to Managed Service Providers and their Customers (CISA) Protecting Against Cyber Threats to Managed Service Providers and their Customers (CISA) Russia downed satellite internet in Ukraine -Western officials (Reuters)  US and its allies say Russia waged cyberattack that took out satellite network (Ars Technica)  Western powers blame Russia for Ukraine satellite hack (The Record by Recorded Future)  Russian cyber operations against Ukraine: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union (European Council)  Attribution of Russia's Malicious Cyber Activity Against Ukraine - United States Department of State (United States Department of State)  U.S. Government Attributes Cyberattacks on SATCOM Networks to Russian State-Sponsored Malicious Cyber Actors (CISA) Russia behind cyber-attack with Europe-wide impact an hour before Ukraine invasion (GOV.UK) Estonia joins the statement of attribution on cyberattacks against Ukraine (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Estonia)  Statement on Russia's malicious cyber activity affecting Europe and Ukraine (Canada.ca)  Attribution to Russia for malicious cyber activity against European networks (Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)  Russia hacked an American satellite company one hour before the Ukraine invasion (MIT Technology Review)  NSA Probing Reach of Software From Russia's Kaspersky in US Systems (Bloomberg) 

A quick introductory note on Russia's hybrid war against Ukraine. Russian television schedules hacked to display anti-war message. Phishing campaign distributes Jester Stealer in Ukraine. European Council formally attributes cyberattack on Viasat to Russia. Costa Rica declares a state of emergency as Conti ransomware cripples government sites. DCRat and the C2C markets. The gang behind REvil does indeed seem to be back. More Joker-infested apps found in Google Play. Guest Nick Adams from Differential Ventures discusses what will drive continued growth of cybersecurity beyond attack surfaces and governance from a VC's perspective. Partner Ben Yelin from UMD CHHS on digital privacy concerns in the aftermath of the potential overturn of Roe vs Wade. And Spain's spyware scandal takes down an intelligence chief. For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news briefing: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/11/90 Selected reading. Ukraine morning briefing: Five developments as Joe Biden warns Vladimir Putin has 'no way out' (The Telegraph) Viewpoint: Putin now faces only different kinds of defeat (BBC News)  Putin's Victory Day speech gives no clue on Ukraine escalation (Reuters)  On Victory Day, Putin defends war on Ukraine as fight against ‘Nazis' (Washington Post)  In Speech, Putin Shows Reluctance in Demanding Too Much of Russians (New York Times)  Putin's parade shows he "is going to continue at whatever cost" in Ukraine (Newsweek) Russia's display of military might sent the West a strong message – just not the one Putin intended (The Telegraph) Russian TV Schedules Hacked on Victory Day to Show Anti-War Messages (HackRead)  Russian TV hacked to say ‘blood of Ukrainians is on your hands' (The Telegraph)  Mass Distribution of Self-Destructing Malware in Ukraine (BankInfoSecurity)  Russian cyber operations against Ukraine: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union (European Council)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held a video conference with EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

Host Jill Dougherty has a special announcement about the future of the KennanX podcast. Plus, we're sharing a recent conversation between Wilson Center President Mark Green and Baroness Catherine Ashton, the European Union's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, about the impact that Russia's war in Ukraine is having on Europe and the role of Vladimir Putin. We'll be back with new KennanX episodes in April 2022!

Europe's worst conflict since World War II started in Croatia in 1991 and had spilled over into Bosnia and Herzegovina by 1992. The bloodshed ended in 1995, after the Dayton Accords were signed. Part of the agreement was the establishment of The Office of the High Representative. Another outcome of the accords: an extremely complex system of government. The country is led by a presidency consisting of three parts, each representing the main ethnic groups. But how effectively is the nation being governed? The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, talks to Al Jazeera.

Dr. Nathalie Tocci, director of the Italian Istituto Affari Internazionali, and special advisor to the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, joined us to discuss the EU's geopolitical ambitions, how it fared amid the tumultuous year that was 2020, and what lies ahead. The Europe Desk is a podcast from the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It brings together leading experts working on the most pertinent issues facing Europe and transatlantic relations today. Music by Sam Kyzivat and Breakmaster Cylinder Production by Jonas Heering and Emily Traynor Mayrand Communications by Hannah Tyler, Iris Thatcher and Mitchell Fariss Design by Sarah Diebboll https://cges.georgetown.edu/podcast Twitter and Instagram: @theeuropedesk If you would like a transcript of this episode, more information about the Center's events, or have any feedback, please email: theeuropedesk@georgetown.edu.