EU-ASIA TALKS

In this episode we explore the role of women in peace and security, why it's important to have them as essential interlocutors and what they bring to the table. Women's capacity for listening, tones down the aggression and brings in a level of humanity that is essential to help building trust and enabling dialogue,  for the sustainability and durability of any agreements that are reached.

Their role in building and ensuring lasting peace is indispensable.

Joining us in this conversation are Antje Herrberg, former senior mediation advisor at the European External Action Service and Special Advisor for Peace and Stabilization in Kinshasa and Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, founder and Executive Director of ICAN, the International Civil Society Action Network, and Director of the LC Centre for Women, Peace and Security.

These podcasts are funded by the EU. The contents are the sole responsibility of Cowater and don't necessarily reflect the views of the EU. The opinions expressed in these podcasts by the contributors are their personal views and do not necessarily represent any view held by Cowater.

© EU-Asia Fora, 2021-22. All rights reserved.

The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) are important geopolitical actors globally and regionally and both have been talking to each other for a long time.

They have been working with each other, agreeing and disagreeing with each other for a remarkable 45 years, and they will celebrate those 45 years of partnership at the EU-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in Brussels on December 14.

In this podcast, his Excellency Igor Driesman, EU Ambassador to ASEAN, and also the EU Envoy for Myanmar, tells us how this relationship has evolved over the years, his wishes and hopes for the future.

These podcasts are funded by the EU. The contents are the sole responsibility of Cowater and don't necessarily reflect the views of the  EU. The opinions expressed in these podcasts by the contributors are their personal views and do not necessarily represent any view held by  Cowater.

© EU-Asia Fora, 2021-22. All rights reserved.

Today we are meeting Zoé Elkær Nicot, from Denmark, and Phasawit Jutatungcharoen from Thailand, two young leaders who have taken part in several months of discussions within the EU-ASEAN Young Leaders Forum.

The Forum, a joint EU - ASEAN initiative, was an opportunity and a safe space for 90 young participants from both regions to discuss the future of EU-ASEAN relations, analysing current and future priorities for the EU-ASEAN relationship and how to achieve them.

Zoe and Phasawit talk about their experience in the 6 month journey, and, most importantly, they express their wishes and recommendations to the leaders who will meet on the 14 of December in Brussels for the EU - ASEAN Commemorative Summit.

These podcasts are funded by the EU. The contents are the sole  responsibility of Cowater and don't necessarily reflect the views of the  EU. The opinions expressed in these podcasts by the contributors are  their personal views and do not necessarily represent any view held by  Cowater.

© EU-Asia Fora, 2021-22. All rights reserved.

In this two-part episode, host Ilen Madhavji explores the delicious world of culinary diplomacy alongside Chef Ritu Dalmia and Chef Emmanuel Stroobant, to get a taste of their perspective from the kitchen. This episode focuses on the inter-cultural element of food and its potential to unite people of difference. Our chef guests, who both have combined European and Asian approaches to cuisine, speak from their experiences of breaking down fears, traditions, and barriers through food. Whether it is through fusing the culinary traditions of India, Italy, Belgium, and Singapore, or finding common ground across the Eurasian divide in how we enjoy our meals, there are more cultural links than you may think!

This episode was made possible by a partnership between The Hague Diplomacy Podcast and the Cowater project, “Advancing the EU role in multilateral Fora in Asia”, funded by the EU.

In this two-part episode, host Ilen Madhavji explores the delicious world of culinary diplomacy alongside Chef Ritu Dalmia and Chef Emmanuel Stroobant, to get a taste of their perspective from the kitchen. This episode focuses on the inter-cultural element of food and its potential to unite people of difference. Our chef guests, who both have combined European and Asian approaches to cuisine, speak from their experiences of breaking down fears, traditions, and barriers through food. Whether it is through fusing the culinary traditions of India, Italy, Belgium, and Singapore, or finding common ground across the Eurasian divide in how we enjoy our meals, there are more cultural links than you may think!

This episode was made possible by a partnership between The Hague Diplomacy Podcast and the Cowater project, “Advancing the EU role in multilateral Fora in Asia”, funded by the EU.

Our conversation today is about cyber diplomacy, which is something of increasing importance in EU-ASEAN relations. But what does it mean exactly?

The EU and ASEAN have committed to an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment, and a joint statement on cybersecurity cooperation was issued in 2019. The EU is also signing digital partnerships with several Asian nations. 

Whereas the European Union stresses concepts like open, free and secure cyberspace, other countries put the emphasis on stability and prosperity.

So while there is a lot to discuss in EU-Asia relations in the cyber domain, what is clear is that our digital world affects us all.

© EU-Asia Fora, 2021-22. All rights reserved.

Gabriele Visentin is the EU Special Envoy for the Indo Pacific. Since his appointment last year, Mr. Visentin has been on the move to secure support towards the EU Indo-Pacific strategy. In this conversation, he tells us about the most important actions discussed at the recent Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, held in Paris on the 22nd of February, and the future of EU engagement in the region.

© EU-Asia Fora, 2021-22. All rights reserved.

Our conversation today is with Gunnar Wiegand, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at the European External Action Service and a leading architect of the EU’s expanding relationship with the region.  We will talk about what lies ahead for Europe and Asia in 2022. Europe is not a newcomer to Asia and Asia is not a newcomer to Europe, but today it is different. This well-informed insight tells us just how.

© EU - Asia Fora, 2022. All rights reserved. This project is funded by the EU.

We live in a digital world: digital technology helped during the pandemic, digital trade drives our economies through e-commerce, building digital networks is crucial for economic growth and development. Both the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are working on expanding the digital sectors and have made the digital economy a strategic priority. The EU and ASEAN have also worked together to develop ADIX, a new tool that measures regional digital performance in areas such as connectivity, public services and digital skills. The idea is that once individual countries performance in these areas is known leaders can develop strategies to exploit opportunities and overcome the excesses of the digital environment, introduce new policies and initiatives and better connect everybody.

Today we meet Professor Paul Foley, International Digital Expert, Henriette  Faergemann, First Counsellor for Environment, Climate Action and digital cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Indonesia and BUDI Yowono, Senior Officer from the ASEAN Secretariat working on ICT and Tourism for the ASEAN Secretariat who will explain to us why ADIX is important.

© EU - Asia Fora, 2021. All rights reserved. This project is funded by the EU.

Today we are talking about EU-Asia cooperation within ASEM, the main political dialogue platform for  Asia-Europe meetings since 1996. ASEM is rather unique and now in its 25th year. ASEM's strength is the informality at the very highest level: informal exchange of views on topical, but also on sensitive issues. It brings together Asian and European leaders, ministers and senior officials who discuss global politics, their own regional concerns and shared economic challenges. It may not be in the headlines, but it is increasingly relevant in this very challenging world.

© EU - Asia Fora, 2021. All rights reserved. This project is funded by the EU.

Why have maritime security and good governance emerged as key strategic global challenges?

The reason is simple: A huge chunk of global trade – and trade between the EU and Asia - is conducted on the seas.

Oceans are busy places. Very busy places.

Shipping lanes crisscross our seas, as huge tankers and vessels - big and small take – trillions of euros worth of goods from one country – from one continent – to another.

Oceans are also rich in resources – in fish, oil and gas for example.

It should be no surprise therefore that they can also become centres of criminal activities including piracy, illegal fishing and drug trafficking.

Oceans are also facing the challenge of climate change and global warming which are leading to rising sea levels.

And then there is the geopolitical challenge of competing national territorial claims which lead to heightened tensions between states.

With maritime geopolitics becoming increasingly fraught, improved maritime security and good governance are in everyone's interest.

This is why the EU and Asia are working together on these topics.

Joining us in this conversation are Joanneke Balfoort, Director Security and Defence policy at the European External Action Service, Marianne Péron Doise, Strategic Advisor for the EU project CRIMARIO and Michito Tsuruoka, Associate Professor at Keio University.

© EU - Asia Fora, 2021. All rights reserved. This project is funded by the EU.

Four young people from Asia and Europe talk about their ambitions and aspirations in this rapidly transforming and very challenging world:

-  Luke Cavanaugh is a recent graduate of Cambridge University (UK) and works with the Student Think Tank for Europe-Asia Relations, where he is  co-President.

- Jessica  Milano is enrolled in a Double-Degree MA in International Science at Turin University (Italy) and Zhejiang University (PRC) and is doing an  internship at the Italian Embassy in Hanoi (Vietnam).

-  Dao Nguyen has studied in Asia and Europe as Yenching and Erasmus Mundus Scholar. He is Youth Leader of the Asia-Europe Foundation and  Outstanding Youth in Community Service of the ASEAN Secretariat.

-  Nidhi Anand is 18 year an has a keen interest in geopolitics, commercial law and classic literature. She will be studying the LLB at King's College London (UK) starting this September.


This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Transtec and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EU.

The opinions expressed in these podcast by the contributors are their personal views and do not necessarily represent any view held by Transtec.

© EU - Asia Fora, 2021. All rights reserved. This project is funded by the EU