The BIC Podcast: Recent Episodes
BIC
The “The MENA Talks” is a podcast series by the BIC. Our three hosts will engage with international, regional, and local experts to explore many underlying historical, economic, social, and political drivers behind today’s multidimensional challenges in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In this episode of the MENA Talks Podcast, host Shada Islam and guest Prof. Carlos Lopes dissect Africa's future, emphasizing the challenge of conveying its manufacturing potential to Europe. They probe EU-Africa relations, questioning the effectiveness of defining a "relationship of equals" and the influence of colonialism. The discussion shifts to China's role, evaluating concerns of a "debt trap" and the benefits of global competition. Urgent reforms in international finance and the crucial need for African representation are explored. The conversation wraps up with insights into climate finance challenges at the COP28 meeting in Dubai and potentials for Africans to be at the forefront of climate discussions.
As COP28 rapidly approaches, the United Arab Emirates, as the conference's presiding nation, is gearing up to host a pivotal global conversation about our shared future. Dubai Abulhoul, an accomplished Author, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of the Fiker Institute, along with her role as an Advisory Committee Member at COP28, joins Cinzia Bianco for a frank conversation. Their exchange will bring valuable insights and perspectives to the forefront, as they delve into the complex issues surrounding COP28 and its significance on the global stage.
The UAE is poised to lead a significant dialogue on the future of energy and climate protection. The UAE's distinct position, being both a producer of fossil fuels and one of the world's largest investors in green energy and climate technologies.
In a similarly complex position, Europe grapples with the challenge of balancing its energy security needs, diversifying away from a dependency on Russia, and striving to meet the world's most ambitious climate objectives. What can Europeans anticipate in the UAE, and is there room for productive collaboration to ensure the success of COP28?
La question du racisme en Europe a gagné en visibilité ces dernières années, notamment depuis l'assassinat de George Floyd aux États-Unis et l'internationalisation du mouvement Black Lives Matter. Elle-même victime d'une altercation raciste avec la police belge en 2020, la députée Européenne Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana échange avec notre analyste Yasmine Akrimi sur son engagement contre le racisme en Europe, le plan d'action européen 2020-2025 contre les discriminations raciales et l'incohérence de la politique migratoire européenne.
In this new MENA Talks podcast episode, Dr. Cinzia Bianco, BIC Senior Expert on EU-Gulf Relations, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Tobias Borck, Senior Research Fellow at RUSI. Both experts provide a comprehensive status check on the EU-Gulf strategic partnership, shedding light on progress and limitations in key sectors like security, energy, climate, and humanitarian aid. Dr. Bianco lauds the EU-Gulf strategic partnership for fortifying regional security cooperation, while Dr. Borck highlights the pressing need for intensified action in climate measures. From security gains to environmental challenges, join their engaging conversation as they navigate the complex terrain of the EU-Gulf relations.
Host: Dr. Cinzia Bianco, Senior Expert on EU-Gulf Relations
Guest: Dr. Tobias Borck, Senior Research Fellow, RUSI
Wilson Fache is travelling to Ukraine to capture the ground realities of the conflict-ridden country. He records the destruction caused in and around the city of Bakhmut. Back in Brussels, Wilson meets Lisa Musiol, the International Crisis Group's Head of EU Affairs, as they both talk about the nature of the European Union's economic, military, and political support towards Ukraine.
Guest: Lisa Musiol, Head of EU Affairs, International Crisis Group
C'est quoi être féministe aujourd'hui? Pourquoi tant de femmes sont-elles réticentes à le devenir, surtout dans le Sud global? C'est quoi le féminisme « mainstream »? Et pourquoi pose-t-il problème? À l'occasion de la journée internationale des droits des femmes le 8 mars, notre chercheuse Yasmine Akrimi et sa confrère, la journaliste féministe tunisienne Sarah Ben Ali, ont partagé une réflexion critique concernant l'unicité du concept de "femme" qui pose de plus en plus problème tant les expériences d'oppression sont multiples et les intérêts souvent contradictoires.
Invitée: Sarah Ben Ali, journaliste reporter d'image et féministe tunisienne
In this episode, BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings is joined by Alessandro Mattiato, Coordinator for EU-NATO Relations at the European Commission to get an EU perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the EU-NATO partnership, especially in the context of the Russian war in Ukraine. How can we interpret the most recent joint declaration signed in January 2023 between the EU and NATO? And what does the state of the partnership mean for the European drive for 'strategic autonomy'?
Cinq ans après la fin de la guerre contre le groupe Etat islamique, plus d’un million d’Irakiens qui avaient été déplacés par le conflit n’ont pas encore pu rentrer chez eux. Parmi eux, des milliers de familles dites « affiliées » à l’organisation terroriste et qui sont aujourd’hui considérées comme des parias. Wilson Fache, consultant pour le BIC, s’est rendu à Bagdad, Mossoul et Erbil pour tenter de mieux comprendre ce phénomène. Il y a interviewé plusieurs de ces familles ainsi que Mélisande Genat, spécialiste de l’Irak et doctorante à l’université de Stanford, et Christophe Reltien, responsable en Irak de « Echo », le programme humanitaire de l’Union européenne. Musique: Khalid Alrawi.
The BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings, is joined by Dr. Daniel Fiott, Head of the Defence and Statecraft Programme at the Brussels School of Governance and Non-Resident Fellow at the Real Elcano Institute, to discuss the current state of European foreign policy including an evaluation of the effectiveness of some of its tools, such as those involved using the CSDP framework, as well as its current level of preparedness in the face of external aggression. Does the EU have suitable mechanisms in place for a truly autonomous foreign policy, or instead what is missing from achieving such an aspiration?
Dr. Daniel Fiott
Head of the Defence and Statecraft Programme, Brussels School of Governance; Non-Resident Fellow, Real Elcano Institute
With Shada Islam and Rafia Zakaria
On this very special episode of the MENA Talks, the BIC’s Senior Commentator on Geopolitics, Shada Islam, is joined by best seller author Rafia Zakaria to have a frank conversation about current developments in Iran. The death of Maisa Amini provoked fury across Iran and the world, causing unprecedented levels of popular discontent against the Iranian regime’s brutal practices. In view of that, Shada and Rafia go beyond the headlines to shed light on the meaning and potential for these protests from a gender, post-colonial perspective, while also highlighting the role of the West in supporting the protesters.
While Europe’s energy crisis fuels fears of a harsh winter for millions of European residents, much discussions are revolving around diversifying the EU’s energy suppliers and reducing European countries’ dependency on Russian hydrocarbons. Yet, solutions can also be found within Europe with the implementation of demand side measures to reduce energy consumption. Senior associate at the Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy (IEECP) Filippos Anagnostopoulos shares his expertise in energy efficiency in the building sector and what measures should be taken immediately and on the long-term to reduce energy-consumption.
C’était le 15 août 2021. La chute de Kaboul aux mains des talibans et le départ précipité des forces occidentales avaient provoqué l’avènement d’un nouvel « émirat islamique » après vingt ans de guerre et d’occupation. Aujourd’hui, l’Afghanistan est un pays au bord du gouffre, miné par une crise économique et humanitaire qui a mis la population à genoux. Wilson Fache, consultant au BIC, s'est rendu dans le pays et y a rencontré l’experte française Mélissa Cornet pour identifier les causes et conséquences de cette crise qui affecte les femmes afghanes de façon disproportionnée. L'entretien est suivi d'un reportage dans la province de Wardak auprès de villageois qui se félicitent du retour de la sécurité et vantent la générosité d’un nouveau gouvernement qui récompense la loyauté.
Experte indépendante, Mélissa Cornet effectue des recherches en Afghanistan depuis 2018 pour le compte de différentes ONGs, dont l'organisation humanitaire CARE.
The BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings, is joined by William Davison, Senior Analyst for Ethiopia at the International Crisis Group, to discuss the role of ethnicity in Ethiopia and how historical divisions have been weaponised to contribute to the level of violence in Tigray, where the nature of such atrocities has amounted to reports of ethnic cleansing. What are some of the structural factors within Ethiopia exacerbating such inter-ethnic hatred, and what should be done about it?
Dévoilé en septembre 2020 et toujours en discussion, le nouveau pacte de Migration et d’Asile de l’Union Européenne se veut “plus solidaire, plus juste et raisonnable”, selon la présidente de la Commission. Loin d'amorcer un changement de paradigme dans la politique migratoire du bloc, la députée européenne du groupe S&D, Marie Arena, nous parle des manquements qu'elle perçoit dans le pacte et des alternatives qu'elle propose.
In this first episode of the second season of the MENA Talks, our host Shada Islam is joined by Dr. Sven Biscop, Director ‘Europe in the World’ at the Egmont Institute and Professor Yeo Lay Hwee, Director at the EU-Asia Centre in Singapore, to discuss current geopolitical dynamics in a multipolar world system, or as framed during the discussions, the coming of a “great geopolitical re-ordering”. International politics had clearly entered a new era, one in which states are moved by interests, as Sven Biscop puts it, or one in which a complex, multidimensional world prevails, with different regional orders, as Prof. Lay Hwee argues. Tune in and listen to this very special episode of MENA Talks season two.
In the framework of the 2022 AU-EU summit, the podcast explores the intersecting phenomena of migration and climate change in Africa, climate resilience avenues for African cities, and implications for the EU-AU partnership.
Guest: Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo, Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Security Studies
Interviewed by Yasmine Akrimi, North Africa Research Analyst at BIC
In this episode of The MENA Talks, Ben Lowings speaks with Dr. Asil Sidahmed, Former Strategic Advisor to Sudan’s Federal Minister of Health about the events preceding, and the fallout from the October 2021 Sudanese coup. What was the experience of working in government where suspicion ruled between its military and civilian leaders? How has service delivery, including crucial medicinal provision, been affected in an environment dominated by waves of military repression and ongoing protest?
Quatre mois après le retour au pouvoir des Talibans, l’Afghanistan serait au seuil de l'une des pires crises humanitaires au monde. Selon les Nations Unies, plus d’un Afghan sur deux pourrait bientôt se retrouver en situation d'insécurité alimentaire aiguë. L’hiver arrive, l’économie est en berne et les aides internationales ont été gelées. Wilson Fache, consultant au BIC, s’est rendu dans le pays et a rencontré Isabelle Moussard Carlsen, cheffe de bureau de OCHA, pour identifier les principales cause, conséquences et solutions à cette crise.
Isabelle Moussard Carlsen est la cheffe de bureau en Afghanistan de OCHA, le bureau de Coordination des Affaires Humanitaires des Nations Unies.
The podcast discusses mixed migration in Tunisia and the larger North African region, exploring its incentives, trends, and the humanitarian programs in place to assist migrants and refugees. The BIC's North Africa Research Analyst Yasmine Akrimi is joined by Mr. Yadh Bousselmi, Danish Refugee Council Tunisia representative and regional program advisor, to highlight the necessity to move beyond the mainstream security approach to migration to focus on remedying structural problems through peace-building efforts.
Following from the 76th United Nations General Assembly held in New York, USA in September, the BIC's Political Analyst Ben Lowings is joined by Professor Alanna O'Malley, Chair of United Nations Studies in Peace and Justice at Leiden University and The Hague University of Applied Sciences, to discuss some of the main issues framing the debates of multilateral diplomacy. How can the UN work better to address these diverse challenges and what are the prospects for the success of such multilateral action in the near future?
"The Afghan conflict has never been totally, or even primarily rooted in domestic factors”. For this special episode of the MENA Talks Podcast, our host Shada Islam, BIC’s Senior Commentator on Geopolitics, is joined by Jawed Ludin, President of Heart of Asia Society and former Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, to discuss regional and geopolitical implications of the current crisis in Afghanistan.
From internal dynamics of this new phase under the Taliban rule to the different roles that the international community should take, Shada and Jawed promote a deep understanding of events on the ground, with a focus on the way ahead for the country and the region. How should stakeholders in the region engage with the Taliban? How to promote inclusive policies within the new government ? Is there a role for the EU in Afghanistan's future?
This episode of the MENA Talks podcast explores some of the security concerns that national and international aid workers in Yemen are confronted with on a daily basis. Our host Elisa Chery is joined by Jean-Nicolas Beuze, the Yemen Representative for the UNHCR, who gives an overview to some of the logistical, legal, and cultural hurdles aid workers face to remain fully operational throughout the country.
Other topics include the role of the United Nations, and it’s local partners in delivering aid, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resource restrictions that Yemen is experiencing.
Y a-t-il réellement une volonté d'intersectionnaliser les lutte féministes en Tunisie? Comment expliquer l'invisibilisation des femmes noires au sein du mouvement féministe tunisien? Dans ce podcast, Yasmine Akrimi discute de la place de la question raciale, et donc de l'antiracisme, au sein des mouvements féministes tunisiens pré et post 2011 avec la militante antiraciste Saadia Mosbah.
Saadia Mosbah: Figure de l'antiracisme en Tunisie et fondatrice de l'association M'nemty
On the current status of Nile diplomacy, the increase in bilateral tensions, and the growing challenge of water scarcity in the face of global climate change, the BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings, is joined by Mirette Mabrouk, Senior Fellow and Director of the Egypt program at the Middle East Institute, to discuss the latest regarding Ethiopia's controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Is there hope for a compromise between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, and is there sufficient political will to see such a compromise through?
Hosted by Elisa Chery, BIC Middle East Analyst - Interview with Amb. Marc Otte, BIC President.
This episode of the MENA Talks will explore the upcoming elections in the Middle East, particularly within Iran and Syria. These elections have geopolitical consequences and could alter the power dynamics in the region. What could new leadership in Iran mean for actors like the European Union and the United States? With ongoing political violence, this episode will also bring light to the situation in Gaza – Israel/Palestine.
Interview by Yasmine Akrimi, BIC’s North Africa Analyst, with Soumaya Mestiri, Professeure de philosophie politique et sociale.
Au vu de la visibilité croissante de nouvelles luttes au sein des mouvements sociaux récents en Tunisie, la question de la légitimité de certaines revendications identitaires perçues comme "superflues", "importées" et ne relevant pas du consensus social ne cesse de se poser. Dans cette épisode, nous discutons des possibilités, ou pas, d'une "convergence des luttes" en Tunisie avec la féministe décoloniale Soumaya Mestiri.
On new governments, corruption allegations and the push for elections, the BIC's Political Analyst, Ben Lowings, is joined by Lorenzo Marinone (Researcher - EFD) to discuss developments in Libya. What are some of the initial challenges for interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and how can the international community help?