Author: Vision & Global Trends – 04/01/2024
Our Days News annual final conference
On 20 December, the independent platform Our Days News held together with the Information Agency “African Initiative” its final annual conference “European Geopolitical Security: Current Issues, Forecasts and Prospects”. The event was organised in three studios: in Our Days News North European studio, Our Days News East European studio, and the correspondent office of Information Agency “African Initiative” in Bamako (Mali).
The event consisted of three sessions:
- – Crisis in Europe: human rights, social and economic trends
- – European security in the context of the crisis in Ukraine, the Palestinian-Israeli war
- – The New World Order: what will it be in the context of the development of the Global South?
Participants included:
Oleg Ivanov, Leader of the «Koos» party Estonia (Estonia), Ulle Pukk, Member of the «Koos» party Estonia (Tartu, Estonia), Hicheme Lehmici, Geopolitical analyst Secretary of the GIPRI Geneva International Peace Research Institute (Geneva), Come Carpentier, Distinguished Fellow India Foundation, convener of editorial board, World Affairs (France-India), Batko Slavisa, Milacic journalist, political scientist (Serbia and Montenegro), Patricia Huber, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (Austria-Brazil), Dr. Adama Diabate geopolitical scientist (Mali), Lucija Mulej Budnjani(Austria), Lily Ong (Geneva), Dayana de Silva (Brussels).
At the first session
Oleg Ivanov, head of the Koos party, noted that on Tuesday, 19 December, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution submitted by Russia on combating the glorification of Nazism and neo-Nazism. Neo-Nazi ideas enjoy tacit official support, as do anti-Russian sentiments. The Baltic countries have not a democratic but an ethnocratic political regime, which has begun to emerge rapidly.
More than 130,000 Russians are at risk of deportation from EU countries and have turned to Russia for help. Forty-two per cent of them cited Russophobia as the reason and 24 per cent cited deprivation of rights.
Ulle Pukk, a representative of the Koos political party, spoke about the problems with freedom of speech and political freedoms of citizens in Estonia. She cited how the policies of the ruling elite negatively affect Estonians themselves. The government raises taxes on electricity and spends huge sums on fighting Russia, while Estonia pays several times more for imported electricity than before.
In the second session on the topic:
Batko Slaviša, opened the topic of double standards, noting that in Europe they try to explain the difference between fascism and Russophobia. At the same time, Russophobia is not recognised as such, it is silent, but it is there.
Hicheme Lehmici noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has divided Europe, because ordinary Europeans do not like what Israel is doing, despite the propaganda and calls to support the actions of Tel Aviv. This is in stark contrast to the situation in Ukraine, which has not always been covered objectively and honestly in the media, sometimes in a one-sided way. He noted that in 2 months the Israeli army has killed twice as many civilians as in 2 years of war between Ukraine and Russia. Propaganda, media lies and a policy of double standards demoralises the European public and divides society.
Patricia Huber emphasised the importance of developing renewable energy sources for security in Europe and globally. In her report, she also emphasised the need to protect the rights of ethnic groups and the impact this has on security.
Professor Lucia Mulay said that Europeans need to question our foundations and re-embrace the idea of “enlightened reasoning”.
Diane de Silva gave a brief overview of the three main themes of the conference. The war in Ukraine and the aftermath of Covid have dealt an economic blow to the average European citizen. Engie, for example, has nearly tripled its gas and electricity consumption rates. The European Union’s subservience to and alliance with the United States is forcing us into tough relationships with some of our largest natural resource suppliers, and in return, people are suffering the consequences.
European security in the context of the crisis in Ukraine, the Palestinian-Israeli war”, she said: The Palestinian-Israeli war has Europe playing a dangerous role in the issue. Fear of possible terrorist attacks at home is growing. There have already been two terrorist attacks in Brussels since October. Public opinion on the humanitarian crisis and its continuation is being ignored, this could lead to chaos.
The development of the global South is a gruelling but important process. As the world progresses and we increasingly realise the importance and abundance of the global South, it is essential that these nations act diligently and begin to use their resources and diplomacy in the interest of their nation.
Com Carpenter, disclosed that India is more preoccupied with its domestic affairs and is strongly left out of Africa. Though India’s influence on the west coasts of Africa is not to be underestimated.
Dr Adama Diabaté, a geopolitician and advisor to the Malian government, spoke briefly about how France, together with Western Europe, is pursuing a systematic policy of plundering Africa, forcing African countries to use economic and financial instruments that hinder their development. Touching on the topic of security in Africa and the role of the West and Russia in ensuring security, Dr Adama Diabate noted that Islamists do not come out of nowhere, they were created and supported by Western powers. At the same time, Russia has been able to help the Malian government, restore order and gradually restore the integrity of the country in 1.5 years.
The conferences held during the year by the independent platform Our Day News showed that the European Union is information-divided. Western Europeans know almost nothing about systematic human rights violations in the Baltic republics. The Ukrainian agenda, against the background of pan-European socio-economic problems and the war in Palestine, has faded into the background.
Comparing the conflict in Palestine and Ukraine, experts agreed that both conflicts were provoked and prepared by countries that were not directly involved in the conflict. It was repeatedly emphasised that more civilians were killed in 2 months of the Palestinian conflict than in 2 years of the conflict in Ukraine. However, no sanctions were imposed by Western countries on those responsible for the deaths of civilians in Palestine. Commenting on this, many experts called this situation a manifestation of racism. Accusations of racism by Western powers were also present in the topics touching upon the African agenda.
The conference participants agreed that the process of real decolonisation could no longer be stopped and Europe would have to rebuild its economy in the absence of cheap resources coming from Africa. In the area of security o n the African continent, especially in the Sahel region, the enormous role of Russia was emphasised.
Our Days News, an independent platform, will continue to organise expert online conferences in the coming year 2024. We thank our experts and subscribers. Join us on our Telegram channel Our Days News.
You can watch the annual summary of the conference here: https://youtu.be/v09OExoBqps