Conoscere per decidere

10 Città

Avellino, Bologna, Brescia, Catania, Lamezia,

Milano, Padova, Roma, Torino, Treviso

Per decidere bisogna conoscere. Purtroppo in Italia c’è un forte divario tra la realtà e la sua percezione. Essere cittadini è un impegno che esige senso di responsabilità. Per questo è stata organizzata una serie di “lezioni” in 10 città da Italia/decide – Associazione per la qualità delle politiche pubbliche (www.italiadecide.it) che contrasti il diffuso “analfabetismo civile” attraverso la formazione di saperi e di competenze che sono presupposto dell’esercizio dei diritti e dei doveri di cittadinanza.

Democrazia Etica pubblica Italia e Europa

A Bologna coadiuvano all’iniziativa

la Fondazione per la Collaborazione tra i Popoli

e l’Istituto Regionale di Studi “De Gasperi”.

Le lezioni si svolgeranno con il seguente calendario nell’Aula “Futura” della Casa delle Associazioni di Bologna, Via S. Stefano 119/2 – Bologna, dalle ore 18.00 alle ore 20.00:

• Venerdì 1 Febbraio 2019 / Etica pubblica e politica.

  Prof. Augusto Barbera – Corte Costituzionale.

   

• Venerdì 8 Febbraio 2019 / I diritti dell’uomo: gli aspetti etici nel rapporto tra nuova scienza e tecnologia. Dalla ingegneria dei geni alla intelligenza artificiale.

  Ing. Alessandro Ovi (Technology Review – MIT Boston – Roma).

   

• Venerdì 15 Febbraio 2019 / Democrazia: il mondo sottosopra. Si può rimetterlo a posto?

  Prof. Romano Prodi – Presidente Fondazione per la Collaborazione tra i Popoli.

   

• Venerdì 22 Febbraio 2019 / I nuovi nazionalismi. Dalla Cina agli Stati Uniti, passando per l’Europa.

  Prof. Lorenzo Zambernardi (Università di Bologna).

   

• Venerdì 1 Marzo 2019 / Italia ed Europa: come si colloca il nostro paese nel quadro della Unione Europea in una dimensione geopolitica globale? Quali sono le sue caratteristiche, i principali problemi con i quali si deve confrontare e le possibili opzioni.

  Prof.ssa Barbara Curli (Università di Torino).

  Discussione conclusiva Ing. Alessandro Ovi

 

 

Scarica qui il Calendario delle lezioni 2019

Ammesse non più di 40 persone. Per motivi organizzativi vi preghiamo di voler inviare un’email di iscrizione a conferenza@fondazionepopoli.org entro venerdì 25 Gennaio.

Al termine del corso sarà consegnato agli iscritti un certificato di partecipazione.

Segreteria organizzativa: Tel. 051 227609 / conferenza@fondazionepopoli.org

CONFERENZA INTERNAZIONALE “ALONG THE SILK ROADS”
10-11 luglio 2016
Venezia. Fondazione Giorgio Cini. Isola S.Giorgio Maggiore

Si è tenuta a Venezia, il 10 e 11 luglio 2016, la Conferenza internazionale “Along The Silk Roads”, “Lungo la Via della Seta”.

Organizzata da Fondazione per la Collaborazione tra i Popoli, Autorità Portuale di Venezia e Nankai University (Center for the SILK ROAD STUDIES), con il supporto di Binhai New Area (Special Economic Zone in Tianjin), in cooperazione con TWAI, Center For Mediterranean Area Studies e Università Ca’ Foscari, la conferenza ha riunito a Venezia, presso la Fondazione Giorgio Cini nell’Isola di S.Giorgio Maggiore, esperti e rappresentanti delle istituzioni e della politica di tutta l’area euro-asiatica.

Introdotta dal Presidente Romano Prodi e dal Presidente dell’Autorità Portuale di Venezia Paolo Costa vi hanno partecipato il Ministro degli Esteri, Paolo Gentiloni, e delle Infrastrutture Graziano Delrio, il Ministro dei Trasporti austriaco Jörg Leichtfried, il Ministro russo per l’Integrazione euroasiatica Tatiana Valovaya oltre ad esponenti di diverse istituzioni e think thank di Cina, Asia ed Europa.

Le diverse tavole rotonde, organizzate con brevi interventi degli speaker e dibattiti tra gli ospiti in stile “Aspen”, hanno affrontato il tema del la realizzazione della nuova Via della Seta di cui il porto di Venezia è indicato come terminale occidentale europeo.

La politica della “One Belt One Road” (OBOR), annunciata dal Presidente Xi Jinping a settembre 2013, muterà gli equilibri economici e strategici tra Asia e Europa e porterà i suoi riflessi fino all’Africa.

“One Belt, One Road” riunisce in un’unica iniziativa ingenti investimenti nelle ferrovie, nelle infrastrutture marittime ma prevede anche investimenti non necessariamente infrastrutturali. La nuova Via della Seta pone, infatti, importanti sfide e offre grandi opportunità sia per la Cina che per l’Europa ma per essere davvero efficace si rendono necessarie comprensione reciproca e piena cooperazione tra le due Parti. Gli esperti hanno affrontato sia la “visione cinese” sia quella “europea” con l’obiettivo di individuare soluzioni per tutelare gli investimenti nelle infrastrutture ma anche per valutare il complesso impatto economico della nuova Via della Seta in termini commerciali e di competitività dei Paesi che ne saranno toccati.

Download the press release

Sunday, July 10th 2016

16. 00 Registration and Welcome
16. 30 Welcome Addresses

AlongTheSilkRoads -day1- Welcome Addresses from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: Romano Prodi – President, Foundation for World Wide Cooperation
Zhao Jianguo – President, Standing Committee of Tianjin Binhai People’s Congress (Minister)
Xue Jinwen – Chancellor, Nankai University (V. Minister)
Michele Bugliesi – Chancellor, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Paola Mar – Council Member for Tourism, City of Venice

17.10 Institutional Presentations

AlongTheSilkRoads -day1- Institutional Presentations from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Shan Zefeng – Vice Governor, Tianjin Binhai
Elisa De Berti – Regional Minister for Transport and Infrastructure
Lu Wei – President, Tianjin Port (Minister)
Paolo Costa – President, Venice Port Authority

18.00 Opening Remarks

AlongTheSilkRoads_-day1- Opening Remarks from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: Romano Prodi – President, Foundation for World Wide Cooperation
Alain Baron – Head of the International Transport Sector (DG MOVE), European Commission
Hossein Malaek – Deputy Head for Foreign Policy Research Center (CSR) and Former Ambassador to China
Tatiana Valovaya – Minister of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission
Paolo Gentiloni – Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs

Signature of a cooperation Memorandum of understanding Binhai (Tianjin) and City of Venice
Signature of a cooperation Memorandum of understanding Tianjin Port and Venice Port Authority

Monday, July 11th 2016

09.00 Registration, Welcome Coffee and Photo Opportunities

09.30 Opening Session – Panel 1: General Geopolitical Scenario

AlongTheSilkRoads -day2- Panel 1: General Geopolitical Scenario from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: Jia Qingguo – Director, School of International Studies Peking University
Giovanni Andornino – Vice President, Torino World Affairs Institute
Giorgio Cuscito – Limes
Enrico Fardella – Professor, Peking University / CMAS
Ashraf Jehangir Qazi – Pakistan Ambassador

11.00 Panel 2: European Opportunities and Challenges

AlongTheSilkRoads -day2- Panel 2 from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: Renzo Cavalieri – Professor, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Danielle Elisseeff – Académie des sciences d’outre-mer, Paris
Luigi Gambardella – President of ChinaEU, Board Member Executive Board ETNO, European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association
Andrea Goldstein – CEO, Nomisma Bologna
Alexander Van de Putte – Board Member, National Investment Corporation of the National Bank of Kazakhstan and Professor of Strategic Foresight, IE Business School, Madrid

12.15 Panel 3: Asian Opportunities and Challenges

AlongTheSilkRoads -day2- Panel 3: Asian Opportunities and Challenges from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: Fu Jing – China Daily Brussels
Huang Baifu – Representative, People’s Liberation Army
Alistar Crooke – Security Specialist Middle East
Gao Jian – Vice Chairman of China One Road One Belt(OBOR) Research Center and Former Vice Governor of China Development Bank, Former Chairman of China Africa Fund
Mohsen Shariatinia – Senior Research Fellow, Center for Strategic Research, Teheran
Niu Xinchun – Head of CICIR Delegation

13.30 Lunch Break

14.30 Panel 4: OBOR Networks

AlongTheSilkRoads -day2- Panel 4: OBOR Networks from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: Paolo Costa – President, Venice Port Authority
Mikhail Goncharov – Adviser to the President of Russian Federation – JSC Russian Railways
Hercules Haralambides – Professor, Erasmus School of Economics Rotterdam
Robert Kredig – Advisor to the Executive Board, OBB Holding AG
Olaf Merk – Administrator Ports and Shipping, International Transport Forum (ITF) at OECD
Marco Pluijm – Innovator and Specialist Port and Coastal Infrastructure
Lu Wei – President, Tianjin Port (Minister)

16.00 Concluding Round Table

AlongTheSilkRoads -day2- Concluding Round Table from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Chair: David Gosset – Founder, Euro-China Forum, CEIBS
Shaukat Aziz – Former PM Pakistan
Pat Cox – Former President, European Parliament – European Coordinator for the TEN-T Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor, European Commission
Piero Fassino – President, CeSPI
Kairat Kelimbetov – Governor, Astana International Financial Centre
Enrico Letta – Former PM Italy

17.30 Conclusion and Final Remarks

AlongTheSilkRoads -day2- Conclusion and Final Remarks from Foundation Worldwide Cooperation on Vimeo.

Jörg Leichtfried – Austrian Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology
Graziano Delrio – Italian Minister of Transport and Infrastructure
Romano Prodi – President, Foundation for World Wide Cooperation

18.30 End of the Conference

Download the Agenda

Pictures from the Conference

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Sahel, Mr Romano Prodi, on the Presidential Elections in Mali.

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Sahel, Mr. Romano Prodi, congratulates the citizens of Mali and President-elect Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on the completion of a successful election process. Mr. Prodi also pays tribute to second place candidate in the Presidential election, Mr. Soumaïla Cissé, for playing his important part in the election process.

The conclusion of the Presidential elections is a milestone in restoring peace and democracy in Mali. The successful election process will further contribute to consolidating the democratic process, thus enabling Mali to build a better tomorrow.

The collective focus must now move to embedding democratic institutions, fostering national reconciliation and spearheading development through economic growth and job creation.

Special Envoy Prodi also reiterates the regional nature of the challenges and the opportunities, cautioning that the entire fragile Sahel region needs to be supported so as to build sustainable peace. To this end the UN system is working on the implementation of a UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, which was presented to the UN Security Council in June.

Il momento degli auguri, che rivolgo a tutti di cuore anche a nome di quanti collaborano con la Fondazione, è,  anche quest’anno , occasione di riflessione su quanto abbiamo fatto e  vorremmo fare.

Il 2010  è stato definito un anno di ’passaggio’, importante e critico. Passaggio da un mondo ‘monopolare’ ad uno ‘multipolare” , dalla crisi alla sperabile ripresa, ma soprattutto, me lo auguro, passaggio dalla soluzione dei conflitti con la forza a quella nel dialogo e nella collaborazione.

Il titolo e gli obiettivi della Fondazione trovano, in questa situazione molto dinamica,  occasioni di lavoro importanti, in varie parti del mondo  e su  diversi  tipi di problemi.

Dopo la presentazione del rapporto sulla ristrutturazione del ‘Peacekeeping’ in Africa ho visto una grande opportunità nel contribuire al processo di integrazione del continente quale condizione indispensabile per lo la pace, lo svilluppo economico e la crescita democratica, dei popoli Africani. La conferenza di Bologna ‘Africa 53 countries. One Union‘, è stata un momento fondamentale dell’impegno della Fondazione.

L’idea di mettere attorno allo stesso tavolo  Nazioni Unite, Unione Africana, Banca Mondiale, Banca Africana di sviluppo, Organizzazione Mondiale del Commercio , ed i tre maggiori protagonisti della presenza straniera in Africa, Unione Europea, Stati Uniti, Cina, ha aperto orizzonti quasi insperati.

Tanto che è già in agenda, per la metà di Giugno 2011, una analoga iniziativa  a Washington, ed in previsione una terza nel  2012 ad Addis Abeba.

In un importante vertice ad Addis Abeba  a metà ottobre, promosso dalla Fondazione, con rappresentanti di altissimo livello tra i protagonisti del summit Bologna,  è  stato concordato un cammino di lavoro per arrivare a Washington con proposte concrete di collaborazione sui temi di pace e sicurezza, sviluppo di infrastrutture e apertura dei mercati. Su questi temi
abbiamo naturalmente svolto dialoghi e approfondimenti continui con associazioni e individui che (in Italia o all’estero) si occupano di queste tematiche.

Anche se, innegabilmente,  l’Africa è stata al centro delle nostre attenzioni,  abbiamo però anche tenuto vive , come dai nostri programmi, attività,  soprattutto con interventi formativi, in due altre aree importanti del mondo, anche se per motivi molto diversi tra loro, Iran e Cina .

Raccontare il nostro punto di vista e le nostre esperienze è sempre un momento importante per aiutare la soluzione di problemi, evitare incomprensioni, o prevenirne l’insorgere. Intendo continuare a farlo.

Per il 2011 la Fondazione prevede di proseguire con continuità il lavoro del 2010 con una tema nuovo a me particolarmente caro. Quello dell’Unione Europea che mai come oggi vive la necessità di un rinnovato sforzo di collaborazione tra i suoi popoli per riprendere lo straordinario processo di integrazione  iniziato sessanta anni fa e che in particolare nell’ultimo
anno pare essersi smarrito.  La Fondazione promuoverà iniziative a favore di un rafforzamento della Unione Europea come protagonista, oggi molto debole, della poitica estera sullo scenario internazionale.

Un lavoro sempre più intenso, e spero proprio anche utile,  ci aspetta.

Sempre lieti di ricevere da chi vorrà stimoli ed idee,

di nuovo a tutti Buon Natale e Buon Anno!!

Letter to the President of the European Council

TO: Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council (dated 2 December 2010)

Lady Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/First Vice-President of the European Commission (dated 2 December 2010)

CC: EU Heads of Government (dated 6 December 2010)

EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs (dated 6 December 2010)

FROM: European Former Leaders Group (EFLG)

RE: Application of Council Conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process

The year 2011 will be of critical importance in determining the fate of the Middle East, perhaps for many years to come.

On 8 December 2009 the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union adopted a set of twelve ‘Council conclusions on the Middle East peace process’. The resulting document, essentially a collective European blueprint for resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, set out the requirements for a comprehensive peace, inclusive of ‘a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’, in a clear and concise manner. It also identified a number of benchmarks. The Council further recognized that Middle East peace ‘is a fundamental interest’ of not only the parties in the region, but also of the European Union itself. With this statement, the EU attracted considerable interest and raised expectations about its ability to advance the peace process. It formulated in effect what the overall international community, including the current administration of the United States, apparently believes is right.

It is now one year on and we appear to be no closer to a resolution of this conflict. To the contrary, developments on the ground, primarily Israel’s continuation of settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) including in East Jerusalem, pose an existential threat to the prospects of establishing a sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian state also embracing Gaza, and therefore pose a commensurate threat to a two-state solution to the conflict.

Given this situation and the urgent need for action, we consider it a matter of fundamental credibility that the Council revisit the principles and requirements it enunciated in December 2009 and establish the next steps forward at its meeting scheduled for 13 December 2010. In addition to reconfirming the framework and principles it collectively adopted in December 2009, we consider it vital that the Council should also identify concrete measures to operationalize its agreed policy and thence move to implementation of the agreed objectives. Europe cannot afford that the application of these policy principles be neglected and delayed yet again. Time to secure a sustainable peace is fast running out.

Taking in turn the Conclusions reached by the Council in December 2009, we articulate below ways and means to translate these into actual policy.

1. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The Council of the European Union is seriously concerned about the lack of progress in the Middle East peace process. The European Union calls for the urgent resumption of negotiations that will lead, within an agreed time-frame, to a two-state solution with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. A comprehensive peace, which is a fundamental interest of the parties in the region and the EU, must be achieved on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the Madrid principles including land for peace, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties and the Arab Peace Initiative.

We welcomed the resumption of bilateral negotiations under American auspices in September 2010. Only a negotiated two-state solution will allow the security needs of both sides to be met. It gives us great concern however that the current talks lack a clear framework or terms of reference, and stalled almost as soon as they commenced, primarily on account of continued settlement construction by Israel.

Even if inducements to Israel to resume a partial settlement freeze for a limited period of time (such as the supply of sophisticated military equipment) enable talks to proceed, there is no guarantee that these will produce a substantive agreement resolving the conflict within the next year. Moreover these inducements include measures that Palestinians may well believe would limit their sovereignty in any final agreement.

It is eminently clear that without a rapid and dramatic move to halt the ongoing deterioration of the situation on the ground, a two-state solution, which forms the one and only available option for a peaceful resolution of this conflict, will be increasingly difficult to attain.

We believe this is a matter of utmost concern. We therefore recommend that the EU, in cooperation with the United States, United Nations, Russian Federation, League of Arab States and other interested parties, should put forward a concrete and comprehensive proposal for the resolution of this conflict, that includes a clear time frame for the successful conclusion of these negotiations on the basis of longstanding principles agreed by the above parties and the international community as a whole.

We believe the EU should at the December 2010 Council meeting set a date at which it will take further action. It could for example say that if there is no progress by its next meeting scheduled for April 2011, this will leave the Council with no alternative but to refer the matter to the international community to enable the latter to lead efforts to define a vision and strategy for a resolution of this conflict.

2. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The Council reconfirms its support for the United States’ efforts to resume negotiations on all final status issues, including borders, Jerusalem, refugees, security and water, respecting previous agreements and understandings. The European Union will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties. The Council reiterates the EU’s readiness to contribute substantially to post-conflict arrangements, aimed at ensuring the sustainability of peace agreements, and will continue the work undertaken on EU contributions on state-building, regional issues, refugees, security and Jerusalem. The Council underlines the need for a reinvigorated Quartet engagement and notes the crucial importance of an active Arab contribution building on the Arab Peace Initiative.

As indicated here the EU is committed to contributing substantially to peace-building and reinforcement once the parties are agreed on the details. However, the Government of Israel continues to undertake unilateral measures on the ground that will prejudge the outcome if not prevent the possibility of substantive negotiations on many of the final status issues identified above.

In response to these measures, we recommend that the EU reiterate its position that it will not recognize any changes to the June 1967 boundaries, and clarify that a Palestinian state should be in sovereign control over territory equivalent to 100% of the territory occupied in 1967, including its capital in East Jerusalem. Only minor and reciprocal amendments as may be agreed between the parties themselves could legitimately be recognised.

3. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The EU stands ready to further develop its bilateral relations with the Palestinian Authority reflecting shared interests, including in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Recalling the Berlin declaration, the Council also reiterates its support for negotiations leading to Palestinian statehood, all efforts and steps to that end and its readiness, when appropriate, to recognise a Palestinian state. It will continue to assist Palestinian state-building, including through its CSDP missions and within the Quartet. The EU fully supports the implementation of the Palestinian Authority’s Government Plan “Palestine, Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State” as an important contribution to this end and will work for enhanced international support for this plan.

The Palestinian Authority has made impressive progress in the implementation of its Government Plan and the development of the infrastructure of a Palestinian state. EU support and assistance has been vital to this success. To date, the EU and member states have invested some EUR 8 billion in the peace process, primarily in the form of assistance to the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian institutions, and the development of infrastructure in the OPT. By continuing to be the primary donor to this work, the EU underlines the vital European interest in the establishment of a Palestinian state and the implementation of a two-state solution.

Because the Palestinian Authority exists and operates under Israeli military occupation, the Palestinians cannot be expected to establish their state without further international assistance, political as well as economic.

It is therefore our strong belief that the EU needs to act more pro-actively in its relations with the US, Israel and others to promote the fulfillment of this objective.

4. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

Recalling the EU’s position as expressed at the Association Council in June 2009, the Council reaffirms its readiness to further develop its bilateral relations with Israel within the framework of the ENP. The EU reiterates its commitment towards the security of Israel and its full integration into the region, which is best guaranteed through peace between Israel and its neighbours.

During the past twelve months, the EU has continued to develop its bilateral relations with Israel within the framework of the ENP, with additional support provided in other fora, such as Israel’s accession to the OECD. Yet Israel has continued with settlement construction in the OPT, including East Jerusalem, and refused to negotiate seriously on terminating occupation and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.

The EU has always maintained that settlements are illegal, but has not attached any consequences for continued and systematic Israeli settlement expansion in the OPT, including East Jerusalem.

We therefore strongly believe that the EU must make absolutely clear that enhancement or upgrading of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and other bilateral agreements and programs will not occur unless settlements are frozen.

We furthermore recommend in the strongest possible terms that the EU examine the legal implications for the EU of the continued application of bilateral agreements by Israel to Israelis and Israeli entities in the OPT, i.e. to areas outside the internationally recognized boundaries of the State of Israel. We consider it necessary that the EU add safeguard clauses to these agreements which rule out their application to Occupied Territories, to ensure that entities prohibited by international law and considered unlawful by EU policy, such as settlements, are excluded from European privileges and will not be promoted and legitimized by their provision. We consider it necessary that the EU bring an end to the import of settlement products which are, in contradiction with EU labeling regulations, marketed as originating in Israel. We consider it simply inexplicable that such products still enjoy benefits under preferential trade agreements between the EU and Israel.

5. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

Encouraging further concrete confidence building measures, the Council takes positive note of the recent decision of the Government of Israel on a partial and temporary settlement freeze as a first step in the right direction and hopes that it will contribute towards a resumption of meaningful negotiations.

The partial and temporary suspension of settlement construction by the Government of Israel expired in September 2010, and Israel has since then either resumed or announced construction of approximately 2,000 new settlement units, particularly in East Jerusalem and its environs.

The EU has stated unequivocally for decades that the settlements in the OPT are illegal, but Israel continues to build them. Like any other state, Israel should be held accountable for its actions. It is the credibility of the EU that is at stake.

6. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

Developments on the ground play a crucial part in creating the context for successful negotiations. The Council reiterates that settlements, the separation barrier where built on occupied land, demolition of homes and evictions are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible. The Council urges the government of Israel to immediately end all settlement activities, in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank and including natural growth, and to dismantle all outposts erected since March 2001.

The EU position could not be clearer, but – as we have argued above − failure to act accordingly, in the face of contraventions and disregard by Israel, undermines the EU and its credibility in upholding international law.

7. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The EU welcomes Israel’s steps to ease restrictions of movement in the West Bank which have made a contribution to economic growth. The Council calls for further and sustained improvements of movement and access, noting that many check points and road blocks remain in place. The Council also calls on the Palestinian Authority to build on its efforts to improve law and order.

In respect of this Conclusion, the Council should indicate the extent to which it deems the parties to have met or fallen short of meeting their respective roles in enabling development of the Palestinian economy and the maintenance of law and order within the OPT.

8. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The Council is deeply concerned about the situation in East Jerusalem. In view of recent incidents, it calls on all parties to refrain from provocative actions. The Council recalls that it has never recognised the annexation of East Jerusalem. If there is to be a genuine peace, a way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of two states. The Council calls for the reopening of Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem in accordance with the Roadmap. It also calls on the Israeli government to cease all discriminatory treatment of Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

The situation in East Jerusalem has continued to deteriorate during the past year with, for example, forced evictions of Palestinian families from their homes, and today represents the most critical flashpoint and greatest threat to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

We therefore believe that a high-level EU delegation led by the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and including EU foreign ministers should visit East Jerusalem as a matter of urgency to draw attention to the erosion of the Palestinian presence there, and report back to the EU with an agenda of proposals to arrest and reverse the deterioration of the situation on the ground.

9. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

Gravely concerned about the situation in Gaza, the Council urges the full implementation of UNSCR 1860 and the full respect of international humanitarian law. In this context, the continued policy of closure is unacceptable and politically counterproductive. It has devastated the private sector economy and damaged the natural environment, notably water and other natural resources. The EU again reiterates its calls for an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza. In this context, the Council calls for the full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access. While extremists stand to gain from the current situation, the civilian population, half of which are under the age of 18, suffers. Fully recognising Israel’s legitimate security needs, the Council continues to call for a complete stop to all violence and arms smuggling into Gaza. The Council calls on those holding the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to release him without delay.

Having deemed the closure of the Gaza Strip ‘unacceptable and counterproductive’ and called for ‘full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access’ the EU should now find ways to open Gaza’s borders for normal trade, including between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Nowhere in the Council Conclusions of 2009 does the Council make such steps conditional on resolution of internal Palestinian disagreements over border controls. The EU could therefore take the lead on finding a temporary solution, pending the formation of a Palestinian unity government or other form of Palestinian agreement on the management of internal administration in Gaza.

10. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The Council calls on all Palestinians to promote reconciliation behind President Mahmoud Abbas, support for the mediation efforts by Egypt and the Arab League and the prevention of a permanent division between the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. The Council would welcome the organisation of free and fair Palestinian elections when conditions permit.

The EU could contribute to a resolution of Palestinian disagreements by stressing that it is keen to promote a democratic Palestinian society through a process of nation-building (rather than state and institution building only) and by spelling out positive ways in which the formation of a Palestinian unity government inclusive of all parties committed to a ceasefire would be greeted, with development assistance flowing equally to Gaza and the West Bank.

11. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

A comprehensive peace must include a settlement between Israel and Syria and Israel and Lebanon. Concerning the Syrian track, the EU welcomes recent statements by Israel and Syria confirming their willingness to advance towards peace and supports all efforts aimed at the reactivation of the talks between the two countries.

In addition to re-iterating the substance of this Conclusion, the EU could also warn of the potential for the current crisis in Lebanon to spiral out of control and identify ways to help avert this.

12. As stated by the Council in December 2009:

The EU recalls that a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict requires a regional approach and will continue its work on this in line with the June 2009 Council Conclusions using all its instruments to this effect. The EU also calls on all regional actors to take confidence building measures in order to stimulate mutual trust and encourages Arab countries to be forthcoming, both politically and financially, in assisting the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian refugees through UNRWA.

In conclusion, our Group wishes to point out that EU investment in building the foundations for a two state solution over the past two decades was very substantial, not least in terms of EU tax-payers’ money. The EU should take what measures it can to justify this investment and act in Europe’s genuine interest, but if no political progress is made, further expenditure − apart from that on humanitarian purposes − would be nugatory. In these circumstances Israel should be required to shoulder its obligations as the occupying power. But wider issues matter more than wasted expenditure. At stake are not only EU relations with the parties directly involved in the conflict but also with the wider Arab community, with which the EU enjoys positive diplomatic and trade relations.

We believe that many Arabs and prominent Israelis would like the EU to take a more active role in resolving the conflict and put its stated position into effect. Senior figures in the United States are also signaling to us that the best way to help President Obama’s efforts is to put a price tag on attitudes and policies that run counter to the positions that the US president himself has advocated. We see increased expectations everywhere that Europe will live up to its commitments and actively seek to share the responsibility with other members of the international community in working towards justice and peace at this critical moment.

Signatories:

Former Vice-President of the European Commission Chris Patten (co-chair),Former Foreign Minister Hubert Védrine (co-chair),Former Prime Minister Andreas van Agt, Former Finance Minister and former Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Andriessen, Former Prime Minister Guiliano Amato, Former Minister and Former Vice-Prime Minister Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, Former Foreign Minister and former EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek, Former Foreign Minister Hervé De Charrette, Former Foreign Minister Roland Dumas, Former European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Former Prime Minister Felipe Gonzales, Former Foreign Minister Teresa Patricio Gouveia, Former Deputy Prime Minister Lena Hjelm-Wallén, Former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, Former Minister and Senator Jean Francois-Poncet, Former President of the EU Commission and former Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Former President Mary Robinson, Chairman Swedish Social Democratic Party Mona Sahlin, Former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, Former Minister and Member of Parliament Clare Short, Former High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, Former Prime Minister Thorvald Stoltenberg, Former Director-General of the WTO Peter D. Sutherland, Former Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, Former President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Former President Richard von Weizsäcker.

The Security Council met yesterday March 18th 2009 to consider the Panel’s report.

The report was introduced by the SG

(see: Statement of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the report of the AU-UN panel on financing of African peacekeeping missions ).

He was followed by the Chairman who summarised the main points of the report

(see: Presentation of the Prodi report).

The meeting itself went well and there was general consensus on the need to enhance the strategic relationship – the only slightly dissenting view was from France who warned against institutionalising any mechanism that in any way eroded the decision making responsibility of the Security. There were some helpful comments on the need to support the 10 Year Capacity Building Plan (China) and in support of the ongoing work of capacity building partners generally.

Reactions to the financial proposals were fairly predictable. The trust fund recommendation attracted several comments on the need to ensure that any new fund was coordinated with existing arrangements, especially the EU’s APF but it was always going to be the use of assessed contributions that was likely to receive the most interest. Views ranged from those in the Africa Group, expressed by Uganda, who saw operations undertaken by ROs under Chapter VIII as being an essential element of the framework of collective security and that they should be funded as such, to those, such as Russia who made the point that any plan to use assessed contributions could only be viable after much more detailed analysis, to those who did not see their use as appropriate. France spoke most strongly against the use of assessed on the basis that the financial and operational decision making processes could not be de-linked. Japan pointed out that Article 17 of the Charter related only to the use of funding to support the UN, not others. The US made no comment on assessed funding.

The meeting concluded with the issue of a PRST

(see: Statement by the President of the Security Council).

This requested the Secretary General to submit a report on “practical ways to provide effective support for the African Union” by 18 September 2009.

Clearly we will be working with the AU to follow up on the recommendations and see some of the political ones offering a chance for early progress.

The financial recommendations will be more complex and will need significant work from DFS and others – they will also take longer to pull together.

In addition to the Council, the Chairman also briefed the Special Committee on Peacekeeping

(see: Report of the Panel Pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1809 – Briefing to the Special Committee on Peacekeeping).

ENERGY AS A VECTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION.

draft of Romano Prodi’ s contribution to IV Euro-Mediterranean Energy Forum

“ENERGY AT THE MEDITERRANEAN: SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND REGIONAL HARMONIZATION”

Barcelona, 11, 12 and 13 March 2009

 

Already  fifteen years ago,  here in Barcelona, at the  EuroMediterranean Conference, cooperation in Energy has been  a central issue .

Energy was seen as a possible important engine  to move toward a  more balanced cooperation in industry and technology,  and raised many hopes of mutual benefits.   These hopes have only in part been   achieved.

Of course, among the many flows of goods, services and people,  between the southern and the northern rims   of   the Mediterranean sea , that of Energy is  one of the most significant .The EU depends from  Mediterranean Energy exporting countries for 36 % of its gas and 20% of its oil, and  from the point of view of producing countries EU gets 86% of the gas exported  and 49 % of the oil.

But the flow of energy south to north and that of money from north to south has not resulted in a balanced cooperation in the whole   Energy system, as it had   been   hoped .  This has some how limited development and growth   of the whole southern Mediterranean area. 

The consumption of Energy pro capita in the north in fact is still between 5 and 10 times higher then in the south.                           

An insufficient Infrastructure for   distribution and transport of energy, and an inadequate integration of networks,   are still  a  main constraints to the localization of new industries and services  in the southern areas. 

One of the reasons behind this situation is that not enough attention has been given to the creation of industrial ,technological and scientific capacity in the area . 

The three long and challenging gas pipelines Transmed ( gas from  Algeria  and  Lbia), GME (Magreb, Europa ), Greenstreem ( Libia), and Medgaz (Algeria to Europe)   have  been built mainly with turn key contracts which did not contribute much to the growth of know   in the Sothern Rim.

The construction of new energy   infrastructures  goes on thanks to an almost exclusive flow of  systems and components from the north with very little technology transfer.   It could have started instead a positive collaboration creating a new industrial base.

But it   is still  possible to improve, although time to do it is limited.

The southern Mediterranean area has good reserves of oil and gas  but not very large ( 5% of the total worldwide compared to 65%  in middle east ). 

(Oil  7.1 bil.  tons,  (Libia 67%,  Algeria 20%) .  Gas 8000 bil.  cubic meters ( Algeria 57%, Egypt  22% ) )

In the Mediterranean area, as a whole   ,there will be a shift in the contribution to the total  demand from different energy sources in the next ten years  .

Relevant growth of gas , (up to 31%  from 22),  stability of  coal (13% ),and decrease of oil (down to 42% from 49%  ) and nuclear (down to 9%) from 12% .  

 In this scenario it is not   yet considered here the relevant possible contribution   of energy from wind ( Morocco ,    Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey ) and sun (the southern Mediterranean area has  the highest potential in the world in terms of exposure and meteorological conditions).         Especially in the case of solar energy a revolution will surely happen very close as soon as   the   breakthrough now in the pipeline of technological development will be industrialized. 

Nor   it is yet in the picture the option that energy   is exported not in form of primary source, but   as electricity produced in the southern countries.

It is important to realize also that, accounting for their internal growth   and for the changes in production capacity, Egypt and Syria will become importers from exporters  , while Libya and Algeria will be able to significantly increase their export.

In this picture there are three  possible strategic lines of action,  to make of energy a relevant factor in a fruitful and deeper cooperation in the Mediterranean area.

A. Better integration of southern capabilities in the design, financing and construction of the next generation of large infrastructures related to Gas

B. Improvements in the  harmonization  of  regulations on Electrical Energy  among EU and the other Mediterranean countries.

C. Joint development of large projects for the utilization of  renewable energies (especially solar)  to produce electricity and  desalinate  the sea water.

A. Large infrastructures for Gas. 

New projects such as and Galsi ( pipeline from Algeria to Italy through Sardinia), the  set of  GNL terminals in Egypt , or  the ambitious design to bring north to Algeria the Nigerian Gas,  promoted by NEPAD (New Partnership for Afican Development) Should be seen from the very beginning as opportunities for development   of Southern Mediterranean Countries.

Starting from the financing phase the Europen Bank for Investments , which since Barcelona 1995  hag been in charge of favoring projects mutually beneficial, should ask a larger involvement of industrial capacity from Southern Mediterranean Countries  then in the past.

Very important in this direction is the political support of the European Union and of the Governments in the Region.

B .  Harmonisation  of regulations for Electricity.

The development of a much larger system for producing , tansporting and distributing electricity is crucial to the development of the Region. On the basis of estimates by  OME  (the Mediterranean Observatory for Energy ) the Invesments required  up to 2020 are around 250 billion euros  .

The Governments in the area have acted to attract foreign capital , but , up to now the Independent Power Projects have not been successful enough and the burden for development is mainly on local state owned companies .

However the integration of the electricity systems between North and South has anyway a high potential and may create the condition for new fruitful investments in the field. 

The creation of a Euro-Magreb  market for electricity        ( Rome declaration December 2003 )  offers the opportunity to optimize the utilization of the primary energy resources in the Magreb with a local production of electricity to be transported and distributed in the EU through new power lines across the Mediterranean..

 Less problems of Power Plants Localization, Technology Tranfer, more electricity in the south for local use , would all be clear benefits along this line.

All of this requires a framework of coordination of the different national systems  in  order to offer to each operator the freedom to develop his own system within commonly agreed rules.

Along this same line a deeper dialogue with the South ,  when European Union principles are declared and directives issued , could be very beneficial.

C.  Joint projects on renewable energy.

In countries such as USA and Germany the largest contribution to new installed electrical power in the past three years has been from wind and sun

The fastest growing industrial sector has been that of solar cells production  and installation.

And still the local situation   in terms of solar exposure and meteorological conditions is much better in the South Mediterranean Countries  then any where else in the word.

The opportunity for a fast and strong   development of solar energy in this large area is definitely relevant  as soon as the new technologies will allow it to reach te so called ‘grid parity’ (cost of energy produced equal to that of the energy in the network). And here the grid parity will be already reched at costs of the  solar power installations 40% higher then for example in Germany. 

The benefits would be huge:

– extremely  low impact on environment in terms  of CO2 emissions

– much  lower need of investment for local distribution of electricity because of possible grass root localization of small plants . Remote areas would have energy with no need of power lines.

– Possible utilization of use of direct solar energy to desalinate large quantities of water helping to solve one of the problems of the area without CO2 emission .

– Great opportunity to develop a local industry for production and installation of solar power plants . The mass market would in fact start in this part of the world much before anywhere else thanks to better exposure and meteo.

This is why projects like Desertec or Solar Plan  and others described here, may sound  ambitious now, because of the still high cost of solar power, but may become very realistic much sooner than we think.

 

All these  three lines  of strategic  action have  in common two elements

The first is a very concrete effort to use energy not only as a tradable  good , but as a direct agent of cooperation in the Mediterranean  and of accelerated development in the Southern Countries .

The second is the need for a large source of financing of solid, long term project with a strong industrial participation  of the South.

The whole Area,  therefore, would highly benefit from the existence of a financial institution fully dedicated to support these  huge investments . 

These are moments of special suffering of the developing countries from the global crisis  and he need for direct support is greater then ever.

The old idea of a EuroMediterranean Bank  would have strong new reasons to to be  brought to light again.

The objective of the Foundation for Worldwide Cooperation  is to  ‘ face social , cultural, political issues in the world’ , developing and  offering new proposals of cooperation in the International context.

The Foundation  starts its  initiatives from the European Union,  a major player in the effort to promote a multipolar world,  where also new protagonists such as  China, India,  large South American and African Counties , will share more and more the responsibility for a peaceful and prosperous world.

Europe not only will  be  the natural link with the ‘ring of friends’ East of  its present borders,  and South in the Mediterranean area  ,  but also with Africa as a whole and   with the far East.

The Foundation has been created by President Romano Prodi ,after leaving office as Italian Prime Minister , in June 2008 and is funded mainly by donations and contribution to specific projects.

It  has already started initiatives in :

• Developing proposals for improving  peacekeeping in Africa , with United Nations and African Union,
• Creating new opportunities of dialogue in the Middle east, and in the Gulf Area.
• Keeping in close contact with the leaders of the Chinese and Indian Government  on the issue of globalization of industrial development

These and other initiatives are open to the contribution of ideas and resources to all those who might be interested.

‘Governace’ of the Foundation are the President (Romano Prodi) , the Executive Vice President ( Alessandro Ovi) , a Supervisory Board of eight relevant members of the Italian society  , all sharing the objectives of the Foundation, and an Audit  Committee  of independent members.

The objective of the Foundation for Worldwide Cooperation  is to  ‘ face social , cultural, political issues in the world’ , developing and  offering new proposals of cooperation in the International context.

The Foundation  starts its  initiatives from the European Union,  a major player in the effort to promote a multipolar world,  where also new protagonists such as  China, India,  large South American and African Counties , will share more and more the responsibility for a peaceful and prosperous world.

Europe not only will  be  the natural link with the ‘ring of friends’ East of  its present borders,  and South in the Mediterranean area  ,  but also with Africa as a whole and   with the far East.

The Foundation has been created by President Romano Prodi ,after leaving office as Italian Prime Minister , in June 2008 and is funded mainly by donations and contribution to specific projects. 

It  has already started initiatives in :

-Developing proposals for improving  peacekeeping in Africa , with United Nations and African Union,

-Creating new opportunities of dialogue in the Middle east, and in the Gulf Area.

-Keeping in close contact with the leaders of the Chinese and Indian Government  on the issue of globalization of industrial development

These and other initiatives are open to the contribution of ideas and resources to all those who might be interested

‘Governace’ of the Foundation are the President (Romano Prodi) , the Executive Vice President ( Alessandro Ovi) , a Supervisory Board of eight relevant members of the Italian society, all sharing the objectives of the Foundation, and an Audit  Committee  of independent members.