Podcast

ENC In-Depth Podcast:How does Central Asia feature in the EU-ASIA Connectivity Approach?

This ENC In-Depth podcast is part of ENC Podcast Central Asia Series dedicated to development in the five Central Asian republics in the fields of Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Democracy and Education. This podcast focuses on the recently published EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia which aims at achieving sustainable, comprehensive and rules-based connectivity between the two continents by creating transport links, digital networks, energy and human connections. The discussion revolves around the key question: How does Central Asia feature in the EU-ASIA Connectivity Approach?

The discussion was moderated by Andreas Marazis, ENC Head of Research for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, and features the comments and insights of Anastasiya Ten and Sabrinisso Valdosh, Research Fellows at the Europe-Central Asia Monitoring (EUCAM).

ENC In-Depth Podcast: Turkish Elections: Scenarios for Future Turkey-EU Relations

This ENC In-Depth podcast is part of ENC Turkey Series dedicated to developments in Turkey in the fields of Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Democracy and Education. This discussion focuses on the future relationship between the EU and Turkey within the context of new electoral results and Erdogan’s Presidential system. Furthermore, the discussion covers the importance and options for economic stability, customs union reform, migration, security and defense.

The discussion was moderated by Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Director of the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC), and features the comments and insights of two distinguished guests: Mr. Sinan Ulgen, Senior Carnegie Fellow in Brussels and the founding partner of ‘Istanbul Economics’ and the Chairman of the Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, and Dr. Nathalie Tocci, the Director of the Italian Istituto Affair Internazionali (IAI) and the Special Advisor to the EU’s High Representative Federica Mogherini.

ENC In-Depth Podcast (Turkey Series): Turkish Election. Forecasting the Unforeseeable?

This ENC In-Depth podcast is part of ENC Turkey Series dedicated to developments in Turkey in the fields of Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Democracy and Education. This podcast addresses the issues related to the upcoming Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections. The discussion revolves around Turkey’s new electoral system, the weaknesses and strengths of the opposition, and the influence of economy and media on the electoral process.

The discussion is moderated by Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Director of the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC), and features the insights of two esteemed guests: Tomas Thoren, journalist for Swedish Radio and Television reporting from Istanbul and the neighbouring region; and Emre Keki, lawyer and legal advisor for the HDP Party.

ENC In-Depth Podcast (Turkey Series): Turkey’s Regional Foreign Policy in the Context of the Upcoming Elections

This ENC In-Depth podcast is part of ENC Turkey Series dedicated to developments in Turkey in the fields of Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Democracy and Education. This podcast addresses the issue of the Turkish regional foreign policy in the context of the upcoming elections. In particular, it focuses on the role of the American Middle East policy, the conflict in Syria and the Kurdish issue in shaping Turkey’s current and future relations with its immediate neighbours.

The discussion was moderated by Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Director of the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC), and features the comments and insights of two distinguished guests: Mr. Dlawer Ala’Aldeen, President of the Middle East Research Institute (MERI),  who also served as the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq between 2009 and 2012; and Mr. Haluk Nouray, Head of the EU office for the Economic Development Foundation (IKV) and long-standing expert on EU-Turkey economic and political relations.

ENC In-Depth Podcast (Central Asia Series): Labour Migration & Youth in Central Asia

This ENC In-Depth Podcast is part of ENC Podcast Central Asia Series dedicated to development in the five Central Asian republics in the fields of Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Democracy and Education. This podcast addresses the issues of labour migration in the region and the challenges faced by labour migrants. Furthermore, discussants also focused on what role Civil Society organizations can play in building opportunities for youth and the potential positive impact EU funded programs (such as Erasmus+ or Erasmus Mundus) can have on job creation and preventing the brain drain phenomenon.

The discussion was moderated by Andreas Marazis, ENC Head Researcher for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, and features the comments and insights of Ms. Nushofarin Noziri, project assistant at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Ms. Sevara Khamidova, who has extensive experience in working on social projects focusing on community development, civil society and gender issues in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Both of them are currently undergoing a 3-month fellowship with EUCAM in Groningen, and with ENC in Brussels funded by Open Society Foundations.

ENC In-Depth (EaP Series): What Does the Future Hold for Eastern Partnership?

This In-Depth podcast discussion is dedicated to assessing the developments in the Eastern Partnership area in the fields of Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Democracy and Education. The podcast follows the 5th EaP Summit of November 2017 that took place in Brussels, which introduced the new strategy concept of “principled pragmatism” in this EU policy area. In particular, the Summit was dominated by security issues and EU membership was not contemplated in the discussions. The podcast aims at addressing the new differentiated approach of the EU, which contrasts the “one size fits all” policy previously adopted. The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the EU and Armenia is the first example of such approach.

The discussion is moderated by Andreas Marazis, ENC Head Researcher for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, and features the comments and insights of Dr. Raquel Freire, Associate Professor of International Relations at the School of Economics of the University of Coimbra and Mr. Tony van der Togt, Senior Research Fellow for the Clingendael Netherlands Institute of International Relations.

ENC In-Depth (EaP Series): Representation of Minorities in the Media in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia & Turkey

This ENC In-Depth discussion is the third and final of the ENC’s EaP Podcast Series dedicated to the report entitled “Visions and Strategies for Conflict Transformation: Dominant and Alternative Discourses on Gender, Militarism, and Peace Processes”. This particular studies looks into the importance of media in conflict resolution. Focusing on Georgia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia, the podcast analyses the representation of minorities in media outlets in these countries in order to identify discriminatory discourses.

The broader report was published by the Imagine Center for Conflict Transformation in 2017 with the support of the Center for Independent Social Research (CISR) in the framework of the project Joint Platform for Realistic Peace in the South Caucasus.

The discussion is conducted by Andreas Marazis, ENC Head Researcher for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, and features the comments and insights of Ms. Zeynep Arslan, Program specialist at Sabanci Foundation; and Mr. Giorgi Bobghiashvili, member of the governing board of the European Center for Minority Issues- Caucasus.

ENC In-Depth (EaP Series): Alternative Peace Processes for the South Caucasus

This ENC In-Depth (EaP series) is the second in a series of debates dedicated to a report on “Visions and Strategies for Conflict Transformation: Dominant and Alternative Discourses on Gender, Militarism, and Peace Processes“. The latter was published last year by the Imagine Center for Conflict Transformation with the support of the Center for Independent Social Research in the framework of the project Joint Platform for Realistic Peace in the South Caucasus.

This particular ENC In-Depth discussion is entitled ‘Alternative Peace Processes for the South Caucasus‘ and assesses the impact of new transformative mechanisms for peace processes in the region, emphasizing the lessons learnt from Turkey and Colombia in the field of transitional justice, as well as the role of education and, in particular, multilingual education in promoting peace.

The discussion is conducted by Andreas Marazis, ENC Head Researcher for Eastern Europe & Central Asia, and features the comments and insights of Nisan Alıcı, research coordinator in Demos Research Center for Peace, Democracy and Alternative Politics; and Dr. Philip Gamaghelyan, co-founder and director of programs of the Imagine Center for Conflict Transformation, and the co-managing editor of the Caucasus Edition.