IIEA Talks

The world can increasingly be characterised by uncertainty and transformations. Climate change, geopolitical competition, demographic changes, and new innovations in technology, including artificial intelligence, have prompted the need to reflect upon the implications which these changes may mean for society and businesses across Europe. In this panel discussion, expert speakers drawn from EU institutions and Ireland reflect upon how Europe can thrive in a changing world and ensure that the EU and its Member States are best positioned to meet the challenges and to identify the opportunities which may arise therefrom. Speakers will include: Pascal Leardini, Chair of the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), and Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer of the European Commission Peter Clifford, Head of Strategy at Research Ireland Elena Lazarou, Senior Analyst at the European Parliamentary Research Service Kevin Flynn, Head of the Irish Liaison Office for Research and Innovation in Brussels, Enterprise Ireland Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland This panel has been organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seized public consciousness in recent years, but public attention has often focused on the technological aspects of AI. However, as AI is inserted into every part of daily life, from dating to doctor consultations, it is important to ensure that this technology is adopted in a human-centric way. Susie Alegre examines AI through the lens of international human rights law to explore the legal frameworks we need to build the human-centric future we want. About the Speaker: Susie Alegre is an international lawyer specialising in technology and human rights and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).  A barrister and Associate at Garden Court Chambers in London, she has worked in the field of public international law and human rights around the world for organisations including Amnesty International, the European Union, the OSCE and the UN. She is the author of Freedom to Think, a Financial Times Technology book of the year and Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI published in 2024.

In her address, Dr Songwe acknowledges that the bulk of the cost of the climate transition in many low- and middle-income countries will be borne by governments, with the private sector and Multilateral Development Banks playing a complementary role. Country platforms, transition plans and “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDCs), in her view, should play a critical role in identifying priority financing needs and in coordinating global and domestic climate finance. She argues that Governments must use all levers to raise long-term affordable finance and create the fiscal space for investments needed to meet the challenge. A Green industrial strategy is the key to translating transition plans and NDCs into clear investment pathways for public, private and multilateral finance. About the Speaker: Dr Vera Songwe is Chair and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility and a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution on Global Economy and Development. Songwe has led numerous efforts to bring greater prosperity to Africa, including as the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Dr Songwe is also a global climate champion. She is the Co-Chair of the Independent High-Level Expert Panel on Climate Finance, where she has supported the government of the UK and Egypt for COP27 and also for Egypt and the UAE under COP28.

American diplomacy has faced a combustible mix of unique challenges in recent years, from domestic political divisions to a disorderly international landscape, compounded by multiple ongoing wars. These challenges are unlikely to disappear soon. In his address to the IIEA, Nicholas Kralev reflects on American diplomacy's track record since the turn of the century, its ability to navigate and influence today's complex world, and the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential election in November. Drawing from his visits to more than 80 US embassies during his research for his books America's Other Army and Diplomatic Tradecraft, Mr. Kralev offers his insights into the current state and future of US diplomacy. About the Speaker: Nicholas Kralev is a recognised expert in US diplomacy, international affairs, and foreign service training. He is the founding executive director of the Washington International Diplomatic Academy, an independent organization offering professional training in diplomacy. With over two decades of experience, Nicholas Kralev has closely observed US diplomacy, first as a correspondent for the Financial Times and Washington Times, traveling with Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, and Madeleine Albright. He has also authored several books, including America's Other Army and Diplomatic Tradecraft, which was recently published by Cambridge University Press.

'Check and Balances on US Presidents: Legal and Political Perspectives' The forthcoming presidential election in the United States has been described as among the most consequential in the republic’s 248-year history. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Lecturer in Law at University of Galway, Larry Donnelly, discusses how political power is diffused in the US and assess how strong checks and balances are on the exercise of executive power. The roles of congress, the supreme court, and the states will be considered in how presidential power is constrained, along with how independent government agencies and interest groups of all kinds influence executive decision-making. Larry Donnelly is a native of Boston and citizen of both the US and Ireland. He is the founder and director of the Clinical Legal Education programme at the University of Galway’s School of Law. He has been published widely in academic legal journals, including on comparative law. He was previously active in politics and government in the US and now contributes regularly to various Irish media outlets on politics, current affairs, and law in the US.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice delivered an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories while, at the same time, examining alleged breaches of the Genocide Convention by Israel in the context of its war on Gaza in a separate case brought by South Africa. This panel of experts explores these recent and ongoing legal processes, their historical context, the significance of the Court's findings thus far, and the legal effects of its decisions on other states. Furthermore, the panel discusses Ireland's role in these processes and what impact these legal processes may have on Ireland, for international law, and for delivering justice in the Middle East. About the Speakers: Dr Giulia Pinzauti, Assistant Professor of Public International Law at Leiden University Dr John Reynolds, Associate Professor of International Law at Maynooth University Prof Hélène Tigroudja, Professor of Public International Law at Aix-Marseille University Giulia Pinzauti is Assistant Professor of Public International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies of Leiden Law School. She previously served as an associate legal officer at the International Court of Justice from 2015 to 2016, in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from 2012 to 2014, and at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon from 2011 to 2012. John Reynolds is Associate Professor of International Law at the School of Law & Criminology, Maynooth University. His research focuses on questions of international law in relation to colonialism, apartheid, and states of emergency. Dr Reynolds’ book on Empire, Emergency and International Law, published with Cambridge University Press, was awarded the Kevin Boyle Book Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship. He is an editor of the Third World Approaches to International Law Review (TWAIL Review) journal. Hélène Tigroudja is Professor at the Faculty of Law at Aix-Marseille University, where she teaches international law, international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. She is currently serving as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and is appointed as Special Rapporteur on New Communications and Interim Measures. She also regularly works with other universal and regional organisations such as UNESCO, the European Union and the Council of Europe. She has authored several articles, chapters of collective books, and monographs in French, English, and Spanish. Her collected specialised course delivered at The Hague Academy of International Law in 2023 on Armed Conflicts and International Human Rights Law will be published in 2025.

As the conversation on the future of industrial policy in the European Union continues, questions on the future of European competitiveness, the green transition, and trade policy have grown in importance. In her remarks to the IIEA, Garance Pineau reflects upon these key concerns and offers the French vision for the future of the European business environment. About the Speaker: Garance Pineau is the Director General of the Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF), the largest business organization in France since November 2023. Before joining MEDEF, she served as European advisor to the French President, Emmanuel Macron. She was previously Chief of Staff to the European Affairs Minister and managed the 2019 European elections for the President’s political party. She also worked as the Deputy Director of Social Relations at MEDEF and lent her expertise as a Diplomatic Advisor in the office of the Minister for Labour. In addition to this, Garance Pineau has worked for the UN and the OSCE in the field of Human and Asylum Rights.

In conversation with Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), he explores the most pressing issues facing the aviation industry today. The conversation looks at the industry’s ambitious commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities that stakeholders face. Mr Walsh also discusses topics such as increased pressure on airport capacity, regulatory challenges that aviation companies face, as well as the broader aviation supply chain and current EU and international aviation policies. This conversation aims to provide a comprehensive look at the future of aviation, with insights into how international and European institutions interact to ensure the aviation industry can operate safely and efficiently. About the Speaker: Willie Walsh became the eighth person to lead the International Air Transport Association (IATA) when he took on the role of Director General in April 2021. Mr Walsh began as a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus in 1979 and rose to the position of Chief Executive at the airline in 2001. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Executive of British Airways (BA), leading them through the 2008/09 global financial crisis, he also established a transatlantic joint business venture with Iberia, Finnair, and American Airlines, and oversaw the 2011 merger of BA and Iberia under a newly established parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG). He was the Chief Executive of IAG from its inception until September 2020. Mr Walsh served on the IATA Board of Governors between 2005 to 2018, including serving as Chair from 2016 to 2017.

'The end of the free market and free trade in Europe?' The recent imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles by the EU, which won the support of member states including Ireland, is just one illustration of how the potential downsides of free trade have been given greater prioritisation in Europe in recent years. The appointment of a European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security for the first time underscores a fundamental rethinking of core EU competences such as competition policy, state aids, and trade. Elvire Fabry, Martin Sandbu, and Sander Tordoir will discuss the origins of this rethink and how it will shape future policy outcomes in the EU. Elvire Fabry is Senior Research Fellow at the Jacques Delors Institute, in charge of the geopolitics of trade and rapporteur of the working group on EU-China relations. Her areas of expertise include EU bilateral trade negotiations, EU-US relations, EU-China relations, investment, global governance, WTO reform, Brexit, and perceptions of globalisation. Martin Sandbu is the European Economics Commentator at the Financial Times where he writes on a range of international affairs issues drawing insight from the intersection of economics, politics, and ethics. He is the also the author of a number of books, including The Economics of Belonging: A Radical Plan to Win Back the Left-Behind and Achieve Prosperity for All. Before joining the Financial Times, he worked in policy consulting and academia, including at Harvard, Columbia, and the Wharton School. Sander Tordoir is Chief Economist at the Centre for European Reform where he works on eurozone monetary and fiscal policy and the institutional architecture of EMU and European integration. Prior to joining the CER, he worked at the ECB in Frankfurt, as advisor to the ECB Representative at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC and at the German Federal Finance Ministry.

This address by Prof Emanuel Del Re, the EU Special Representative for the Sahel, which is part of the IIEA Development Matters series supported by Irish Aid, focuses on the evolving dynamics of the EU-Africa relationship, with a particular emphasis on the Sahel region. In her address, Prof Del Re explores key strategic areas such as security, development, governance, and migration, highlighting how the EU's comprehensive approach in the Sahel aligns with broader African Union priorities. The discussion delves into the challenges and opportunities of fostering sustainable peace and development in the region, addressing complex issues like violent extremism, climate change, and humanitarian crises. About the Speaker: Emanuela Del Re is the European Union Special Representative for the Sahel. She was Italian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from June 2018 to February 2021. She was an Elected Member of the Italian Lower House of Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, from March 2018 to June 2021 and resigned to take up her appointment by the EU Council as the EU Special Representative for the Sahel region in Africa. She was a member of the Foreign Affairs Commission at the Italian Parliament until June 2021 and was appointed President of the Standing Committee on the implementation of Agenda 2030 and sustainable development until June 2021. She is a Jean Monnet Professor of Sociology at the Sapienza University, a director of film-documentaries on conflicts, coexistence and ethno-religious persecutions, and founder and president until 2017 of EPOS, a non-profit organization active in conflict areas with projects for the reconstruction of the Civil Society and governance, in particular for refugees and welcoming communities.

In his address to the IIEA, Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez discusses the evolving partnership between the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU). This discussion highlights the partnership’s commitment to multilateralism to reduce global inequalities, strengthen solidarity, promote international cooperation, and fight and mitigate climate change. Ambassador Niño Pérez also looks towards the upcoming EU-AU Summit in 2025, where leaders from Europe and Africa will continue to shape this important relationship. About the Speaker: Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez is the Head of Delegation for the EU Delegation to the African Union, a position he has held since January 2024. Previously, he held various positions within the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission, including Director/Deputy Managing Director for Americas, Head of Division for US and Canada, and Head of Division in Turkey. He has served as an Ambassador in Haiti and Cuba and has held various positions within the Political and Economic Sections of European Commission Delegations in Trinidad & Tobago and Burkina Faso. Ambassador Niño Pérez holds a M.A. in Advanced Political Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, an LL.M. in European Law from the Free University of Brussels, and a degree in Law from the University of Valladolid.

'Does Ireland have a Europe strategy?' Europe is in flux. Countries are re-arming in response to growing security threats. Economic security risks are leading to a rethinking of EU state aid rules, competition and trade policies. With public opinion shifting against immigration across the continent, how the EU and its members handle asylum applications from outside the bloc is rising up the agenda. Dr Eoin Drea, Senator Michael McDowell and Dr Kathryn Simpson share their views on how Ireland is positioning itself on these issues, how they think it should position itself, and how have Ireland’s alliances with other member states have evolved in these rapidly changing circumstances? Dr Eoin Drea is Senior Researcher in the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies focusing on the political economy of the European Union, the future of the Eurozone, EU-UK and EU-US relations. He is a regular media contributor and his opinion pieces have appeared in Foreign Policy, Politico, The Guardian, The Times of London and The Irish Times among others. Senator Michael McDowell was elected to Seanad Éireann in 2016. He served as Attorney General from 1999 to 2002, as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2002 until 2007, and as Tánaiste from 2006 until 2007. He is also currently a Senior Counsel, an Adjunct Professor in the UCD Sutherland School of Law and a weekly columnist with the Irish Times. Dr Kathryn Simpson is Associate Professor of Politics & Economics of the EU and Director of Research at Keele University. Her research interests include Ireland’s relationship with the EU, political behaviour and public opinion in the EU, UK & Ireland, the politics, and economics of Brexit on the island of Ireland and Ireland-UK relations post-Brexit. Her books include ‘Nationalism in Internationalism: Ireland’s Relationship with the EU’.

Human impacts on the global ocean are increasing in scale and scope. As we learn more about climate change, plastic pollution, deep sea mining, and overfishing we see more clearly that these impacts alter our relationship with the ocean. Around the world, communities of people are working together to observe, understand, and act to sustain ocean habitats. In her address to IIEA, Tessa Hill, author of At Every Depth, discusses our growing knowledge about the ocean and the changes that threaten it. The discussion provides an overview of the major themes and lessons from the book, and how they apply to people who are working to protect marine environments on a local, national, and international level.  About the Speaker:  Dr Tessa Hill is a Professor in the Earth & Planetary Sciences Department, and Associate Vice Provost for Public Scholarship and Engagement at UC Davis. Dr Tessa Hill is a Professor in the Earth & Planetary Sciences Department, and Associate Vice Provost for Public Scholarship and Engagement at UC Davis. She holds a Ph.D. in Marine Science from UC Santa Barbara (2004). Her research interests include climate change, both past and present, and understanding the response of marine species to environmental perturbation.  She is part of the Bodega Ocean Acidification Research (BOAR) group at Bodega Marine Laboratory, which aims to understand the impacts of ocean acidification and partner with local community groups to address these impacts. Tessa is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the California Academy of Sciences. Tessa’s work has been featured in a variety of media outlets including National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, and New York Times. She was the recipient of the Rachel Carson Lecture from the American Geophysical Union in 2023. She is co-author of At Every Depth: Our Growing Knowledge of the Changing Oceans (Columbia, 2024).

In his remarks to the IIEA, Frank Elderson, Member of the Executive Board and Vice President of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank, provides an overview of major trends of relevance for the macro financial outlook in Europe. He discusses how these trends are reflected in the ECB’s monetary policy and banking supervision priorities. Mr Elderson also reflects upon the specific actions the ECB is undertaking in monetary policy and banking supervision in relation to climate and nature-related risks. Mr Elderson will be joined by Sharon Donnery, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, for a fireside discussion and Q&A which will be moderated by Dan O'Brien, the IIEA's Chief Economist. Frank Elderson is a member of the Executive Board and of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. He is Vice-Chair of the ECB’s Supervisory Board and oversees the ECB’s Legal Services. He co-chairs the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Risks of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Mr Elderson previously served as Executive Director of De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). At DNB he held several senior positions before joining its Governing Board in 2011.Before joining DNB in 1999, Mr Elderson worked as a lawyer specialising in EU competition law.  Sharon Donnery is Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Ireland for Financial Regulation on 1 July 2022. She is an ex-officio Member of the Central Bank Commission and is a member of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the General Board of the European Systemic Risk Board.

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Intelligence gathered using publicly available data from sources such as social media, has changed how we think about intelligence gathering and secrecy. Though OSINT has been used for years by researchers, Russia's war in Ukraine has illustrated the effectiveness of OSINT tools for both researchers, and governments around the world. In his address to the IIEA, George Barros discusses the growing importance of OSINT, how OSINT may change the future of intelligence gathering, and provide his assessment on the ongoing war in Ukraine.  About the Speaker: George Barros is the Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War. George's work with the Russia and Ukraine portfolio focuses on Russian information operations, the Kremlin’s operational art and campaign design in Ukraine and Belarus, and Ukrainian politics. His work within the Geospatial Intelligence Team focuses on innovating ISW's open-source research methodology with remote sensing data collection, data visualization, and geospatial analysis. George received his B.A. with Honors in International Relations and Global Studies with a concentration in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies from the College of William & Mary. Prior to joining ISW, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as an advisor on Ukraine and Russia for a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.