THE CONFERENCE
The National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) will organize, on the 4-5 of October 2019, the fourth edition of the Bucharest Security Conference, the largest international conference in Romania that addresses the most recent security developments and evolving threats on the Euro-Atlantic frontier and NATO’s decisions to respond to them. On the one hand, the conference starts from the premise that the security environment of the region evolves in the global context and requires cooperative approaches. Evolutions with an international impact such as Russia’s intentions and actions on the Euro Atlantic frontier in the East, NATO’s Forward Presence, Brexit and some new developments in the EU, including the recent Treaty of Aachen, prove that the road is open for evolutions that may change some critical characteristics of the security situation in Eastern and Central Europe. On the other hand, Russia’s subversive actions and mobilization of troops aggravates the security situation at the Black Sea Region. The frozen conflicts in Transnistria, Ukraine, Georgia are concerning not only the members from the Eastern Flank, but the entire Alliance. In this context, NATO implemented the Enhanced Forward Presence and the Tailored Forward Presence on the Eastern Flank, increased the number of exercises and welcomes regional formats of cooperation such as Bucharest 9 Format, which held its last Summit in February 2019. The central purpose of the conference is to support NATO’s efforts to project stability through NATO’s partnerships by dialogue and analysis of the security evolutions meant to increase transparency and to reinforce NATO’s posture, gathering high officials from NATO member states and partner states. The conference also promotes Trans-Atlantic security cooperation in respect with an integrated approach of new security challenges, gathering annually security experts from USA and Europe and debating emerging challenges, as the panel description will show below.
Moreover, we deal with a paradigm shift in the military field, generated by the evolution of conflict typologies in the contemporary period. On one side there is the hybrid war which requires quick and adapted response measures/means, though on the other side there is the need of adaptation, from interventions specialized on hostile environment (Afghanistan case), to classic operations (Ukraine case). What is more, the dangerous, unpredictable, and fluid security environment of the Alliance is marked by significant evolutions in the cybernetic field, making the security concerns and evolutions of the cyberspace one of the focal points of the conference.
COVERAGE
The first objective of SNSPA is to continue its close cooperation with NATO HQ, based on the strong tradition of working with the organization and the NATO Defence College. This conference aims at creating a broader framework for excellence in education and research projects and at strengthening the regional dimension of SNSPA’s academic programmes and its presence in the Wider Black Sea area. The second objective is related to regional frameworks of cooperation such as B9 Format and the Three Seas Initiative; BSC will assess the role of these formats and their potential contribution for the allied efforts to counter both traditional and hybrid threats, as their stated goals are to enhance the effectiveness of the decisions taken by NATO and the EU.
The overarching goal of the Bucharest Security Conference is to increase NATO visibility by presenting to the public its firm commitment to collective defense, the development of NATO’s partnerships and its global role in crisis management. Each past edition gathered around 60 speakers which were high level decision-makers, NATO, UNO officials, diplomats, former ministers, academics, governmental and non-governmental experts, who provided strategic reflections on the implementation of key NATO decisions, respectively, debated the future of NATO’s partnerships, in particular the welcomed recent impetus in NATO-EU relations and also highlighted Romania’s role in the region as a factor of stability.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The members of the target audience of the international conference are part of the security communities of the countries from the Eastern Flank, as well as other Western European and North-Atlantic nations, and a large number of NATO partners in the Wider Black Sea Area: governmental representatives who might take the lead in putting forth and also implementing the lessons learned; academic and scientific communities who will provide a theoretical perspective of the issue and can propose solutions that can be taken into consideration by the decision makers as a result of their interaction with relevant authorities; civil society representatives who should be involved in the development and implementation of the lessons learned, as well as in the development of innovative ways ahead; the media will disseminate the conclusions of the conference; PhD candidates and young researchers having also the chance to come up with solutions that can be taken into account by the decision makers. As the Bruxelles Summit Declaration from 2018 acknowledges, the Alliance is confronted with challenges from all strategic directions, reason for which each region is concerned primarily with internal threats and challenges.
The Most Awaited Event
of the Year
BSC 2019 BEYOND LIMITS
- Special awards under the high auspices of the Royal House of Romania, for personalities with a major contribution in the security and defence debate from the region;
- The confirmation of high level officials such as Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Defence, Chiefs of the General Staff, academics, NATO, UN and EU officials, representatives from the private sector.
BSC previous editions
We appreciate that the previous editions of BSC were successful and, therefore, we intend to continue the debate regarding Allied security and defence in this region.
Subjects:
- military challenges and threats on the NATO Eastern and Southern flanks;
- regional formats of cooperation;
- resilience & stratcom;
- cyber-threats;
- cooperation in intelligence.
Attendance:
- more than 50 international speakers (high representatives of NATO HQ, the EU, the ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, academics, representatives of the private sector, NGOs and mass media);
- over 15 sponsors and media partners;
- more than 150 participants.
Our World Class SpeakersMajor speakers below, see all list on the speakers page
Vasile Secăreş
Vasile SECĂREŞ is the Founding Rector of National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and Professor within the Department of International Relations and European Integration specialized in international relations theory. He chairs the NATO Partnerships Studies Center and is the coordinator of the Bucharest Security Conference. He is also Chairman of the Board of EximBank since 2015 and Chairman of the Board of the Romanian Banking Institute since 2009. He holds a bachelor in Sociology and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from The University of Bucharest. He was resident fellow at the Institute for East – West Security Studies in New York, USA and the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway. On July 1, 1990, Vasile Secăreş was appointed presidential adviser, Chief of Staff of the Romanian Presidency, with the rank of minister. He served in this position until 1992. He was founding member of the National Salvation Front, then of the Group “A Future for Romania” (GUVR) and other positions in the high administration. Between 1992- 2001 he was Vice President of EximBank. He is also member of an important number of scientific organizations and was awarded the National Order “For Merit” in 2004.
Remus Pricopie
Professor Remus Pricopie, Ph.D., Rector, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Romania. Remus Pricopie graduated at the Chemistry faculty of the University of Bucharest in 1995. He also holds a Ph.D. in Political Science, granted by the University of Bucharest and by the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA). He began teaching at SNSPA in 1998. He was dean of the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations from 2005 to 2007 and from 2008 to March 2012, when he became rector. He had an important number of government positions starting with the Minister of Education and Research of Romania between 2012-2014, State Secretary of Higher Education and Research between 2007-2008, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Education and Research between December 2001 – June 2003 and January – October 2009. He was also Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Research in 2001 and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Education and Research in 1997 and 2001. He is also involved in professional organisations and management activities in international affairs. He is Vice-President and Treasurer, International Association of Universities (IAU) since April 2017 and Member of the Board since 2012, Member of the International Association of the University Presidents since 2015, Member of Atlantis Group (20 former ministers of education around the world) associated with the Club of Madrid since March 2017, President of the Board of Directors of the Romanian – US Fulbright Commission 2009 – 2012; 2015 – present, Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science since 2013, Member of the Romanian Chapter of the Club of Rome since 2002.
Iordan Gheorghe Bărbulescu
Professor Iordan Gheorghe Bărbulescu is a Romanian diplomat and expert on International Relations and European Studies. He is the President of the Senate of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) and Dean of the Department of International Relations and European Integration of SNSPA. Professor Bărbulescu completed his education by taking courses on European integration in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Denmark and Spain. He obtained his doctoral degree in Political Science and Sociology at the Universitad Complutense from Madrid. Professor Bărbulescu served as a diplomat within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he held different positions, as Deputy Head of the European Union Department, Head of the Latin America Department, Adviser on European Integration for Embassies and Minister Counsellor. He also activated as a member in the Comission for Preparing the Admission Negotiations of Romania to the EU between 2003 and 2004. He received important distinctions, such as the Order of Faithful Service, in 2002, for his contributions to the Romanian foreign policy promotion. In 2007 was awarded the “Personality of the Year for an European Romania”. In 2016 he was awarded the European Citizen of the Year by the European Parliament. At SNSPA Professor Bărbulescu teaches courses related to diplomacy, European Union and Latin America.
Ioan Mircea Pașcu
Ioan Mircea Pașcu is Vice President of the European Parliament since 2014 and he is also Vice President of the Commission for Foreign Affairs. He is former Minister of Defense between 2000-2004. He is member of the Social Democratic Party, part of the Party of European Socialists, and became a MEP on 1 January 2007. He had also an important number of political and governmental positions, as Presidential Adviser in 1990-1992, State Secretary of Ministry of Defense in 1993-1996, Vice President of the National Salvation Front, Member of Parliament in 1996-2000, and other positions. He was also the first dean of the Department of International Relations from National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), where he teaches Foreign Relations of EU, Global politics, etc.
Major Conference sectionsThat's not all, more sections on the schedule page
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