GEO-POWER-EU: Empowering the Geopolitical EU in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans
Starting in June 2024 and continuing for three years, a consortium of 14 partner institutions has embarked on the “GEO-POWER-EU: Empowering the Geopolitical EU in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans” project, funded by the European Union’s H2020 Research and Innovation programme.
In the wake of the war in Ukraine, the European Union has moved to enhance its geopolitical influence beyond its immediate borders, particularly in the Western Balkans (WB) and Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. This shift underscores an urgent need to bolster the EU’s strategic thinking and actions. Consequently, GEO-POWER-EU is based on the premise that the EU’s enlargement and Eastern neighbourhood policies require revision to reflect a new geopolitical vision for these regions.
The primary objective of the GEO-POWER-EU project is to enhance the security dimension of the EU’s policies in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans. The project aspires to develop a comprehensive EU strategy for these regions, taking into consideration foresight concerning the strategic ambitions of other geopolitical actors. GEO-POWER-EU will:
- propose ideas for the adaptation of the EU Enlargement policy and the reform Eastern Partnership policy
- assess the influence of other geopolitical actors and provide strategic foresight about the prospects of geopolitical competition in the two regions
- explore the growth of the EU’s ability to contain military threats
- propose a comprehensive and multidimensional EU strategy that will guide relations with the countries in the Western Balkans and the Eastern neighborhood.Duration of the project: 1 June 2024 – 31 May 2027
Project Partners
- University of the Peloponnese, Greece (Project Coordinator)
- Southeast European Research Center (SEERC), Greece
- European Neighbourhood Council (ENC), Belgium
- University of Bologna, Italy
- The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW), Austria
- University of Rijeka / Academy of Applied Arts of the University of Rijeka, Croatia
- Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis, North Macedonia
- University of Belgrade, Serbia
- VE Insight, Austria
- Democratization Policy Council (DPC), Germany
- Institutul pentru Dezvoltare și Inițiative Sociale (IDIS) Viitorul, Moldova
- Odesa Mechnikov National University, Ukraine
- Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS), Georgia
- Utrikespolitiska Institutet, Sweden
Contact
If you want to know more about GEO-POWER-EU, check for updates on the project’s social media: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Soundcloud YouTube
The GEO-POWER-EU project is funded by the European Union under grant agreement ID 101132692. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
The first panel titled “Central Asia: A Rising Investment Destination – Insights from the Inaugural EU-Central Asa Investors Forum” hosted Central Asia Ambassadors, namely, H.E. Gairat Fozilov (Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Belgium, Head of Mission the European Union), H.E. Baimukhan Margulan (Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium, Head of Mission the European Union), H.E. Muzaffar Huseinzoda (Ambassador of Tajikistan to Belgium, Head of Mission the European Union) and H.E. Sapar Palvanov (Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Belgium, Head of Mission the European Union) and was modarated by Oybek Shaykhov, Secretary General of the EUROUZ. During their remarks, the Ambassadors emphasized that the European Union and Central Asia are committed to improving connectivity and cooperation in several fields such as renewable energy, transportation, critical raw materials, and more.
The second session, moderated by ENC Director Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, focused on the Middle Corridor and Central Asia’s role in the framework of EU global engagement, business, and human development. Eminent speakers included Camilla Brückner, the director of the UNDP Brussels Representation Office; Dmitry Mariyasin, the deputy executive secretary at the UN Economic Commission for Europe; Emmanuel Dupuy, the president of the Institut Prospective et Securité en Europe, or IPSE; and Katarzyna Wawiernia, the resident representative of the UN Development Program in Kazakhstan. The speakers offered insightful information on a variety of topics, including the significance of a systematic EU approach, the integration of smart regulation and digitalization with infrastructure development, France’s role in the Global Gateway, the utilization of digital solutions in the new Eurasia SDG platform, and the promotion of sustainable maritime sector development in the Caspian Sea through partnerships with both domestic and foreign partners.
The panels were followed by a very engaging Q&A session. The questions spanning from the distinction between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Global Gateway to the EU’s foreign policy regarding Central Asia were posed by the guests who are experts, think tankers, EU officials, academics and representatives of other important organizations.
You can watch the event below: