As part of its science-diplomacy mandate, and building on its continued engagement with the OSCE, IIASA convened a high-level event to facilitate dialogue on how to promote connectivity, trade, and economic cooperation in the European and Eurasian space. This event took place on the margins of the 24th OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna.
Mutually beneficial economic cooperation contributes to good-neighborly relations, confidence, stability and security, and it is therefore also a main focus of the work of the OSCE and its Economic and Environmental Dimension.
The high-level event brought policymakers, diplomats, scientists and business representatives together in order to discuss how to promote connectivity, strengthen economic ties and create new business opportunities despite current political tensions.
The panel discussed following questions:
- How can IIASA, through its academic work, and the OSCE, through its project work, contribute to connectivity and economic cooperation throughout the wider European and Eurasian Space? What are the possibilities for promoting economic cooperation between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union?
- How can we promote transport in the wider European and Eurasian Space? What is the role of the business community in developing “hard infrastructure”? How can governments promote “soft infrastructure” (harmonization of procedures and standards etc.)? What is the scope of additional infrastructure opportunities through the “One Belt and One Road Initiative” (OBOR)?
- How did different OSCE Chairmanships promote the work on connectivity-related aspects of security? What has been achieved during the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship 2017?
Attendees of the event included Heads of National Delegations to the 24th OSCE Ministerial Council, Ambassadors, representatives of the OSCE Secretariat and other international organizations, representatives of the business community and diplomatic corps in Vienna.
Recognizing the potential of youth to contribute to economic cooperation and sustainable economic development, the winner of the contest of the International Youth Forum “Future of Eurasian and European Integration: Foresight – 2040”, hosted by IIASA, reported on how young people can enhance connectivity and how they perceive opportunities for closer economic cooperation in the wider European and Eurasian Space.
Speakers
Introductory remarks:
- Professor Dr. Pavel Kabat, Director General and CEO, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
- Ambassador Florian Raunig, Head of Task Force, Austrian OSCE Chairmanship 2017
- Giulia Manconi, Adviser, Italian Delegation for the Economic and Environmental Dimension, upcoming Italian OSCE Chairmanship
- H.E. Kairat Abdrakhmanov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Panelists:
- H.E. Tatyana Valovaya, Member of the Board (Minister) for Integration and Macroeconomics, Eurasian Economic Commission
- Ignacio Garcia Bercero, Director, Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission
- Dr. Felipe Jaramillo, Senior Director for Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment, World Bank Group
- Drs. Erik Regter, Member of the Board, Internationalisation and Digitisation, Rail Cargo Austria AG
- Winner, Contest of the International Youth Forum “Future Eurasian and European Integration: Foresight – 2040”
Moderator: Thomas Seifert, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Wiener Zeitung, Vienna
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