August 30, 2024, marked the first day of the GLOBSEC 2024 Forum, hosted under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, in Prague for the first time.
In a poll conducted by the MCs during their scene-setting, participants determined that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, populism, polarization, inequality, climate change, and disinformation were only some of the biggest storms facing the global community.
The forum was officially opened by the Founder and President of GLOBSEC, Róbert Vass.
Vass expressed his optimism about shaping the future, emphasizing that with 2,000 people gathered in Prague, they have the power to steer the world amidst the growing storm, reminding everyone that “history sometimes needs a little push.”
In his speech, he addressed the challenges of the future, emphasizing the need to tame the ever-brewing storm and celebrated Europe’s contributions to democracy and the international order.
Czech President Petr Pavel’s opening remarks:
The speech of the Czech President, Petr Pavel starts from 23:50.
In his keynote speech, President Pavel touched upon Europe and the world’s current security landscape, emphasizing the importance of undermining Russian support in order to stop their full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as the need for deeper cooperation between the European Union, the United States and other democratic nations around the world. Finally, he underlined the need for NATO to strengthen its capabilities to address potential conflicts.
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen’s opening remarks:
The speech of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen starts from 32:30.
In her first public address since being elected to lead the European Commission for a second mandate, von der Leyen announced that she would appoint a fully-fledged Defence Commissioner in the next Commission:
“The reality is that even if Europeans take the current security threats seriously, it will take time and massive investment to restructure our defence industries. Our aim must be to build continent-size defence output. And Central Europe is very well positioned to be one of the drivers and one of the great beneficiaries of this new push for the European defence sector. And here the challenge is for small countries and small companies to learn to think big, really big. We must have in mind a systemic overhaul of Europe’s defence. This is why I will appoint a fully-fledged Defence Commissioner in the next Commission. This is Europe’s strategic responsibility,” stated von der Leyen.
The Launching of GLOBSEC’s GeoTech Centre:
John Allen explained that “Europe’s global success and its role on the global stage is increasingly challenged by competitors.” In fact, China leads the world in 90% of critical tech research.” And as he stated, “technology and technological innovation has become, in many respects, the defining parameter in defining the global order.”
Nonetheless, Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President, Microsoft, stated that “The greatest technological advance of this century came from Europe in creating a vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Against this backdrop, GLOBSEC announced the launch of the GeoTech Centre, which aimed to accelerate Europe’s development of critical technologies, to align with the United States, and to maintain Europe’s competitive edge.
Finally, Czech President Petr Pavel highlighted the role of tech as a powerful instrument in international security and competition, particularly with China’s advancements and added that “by competing with each other, we are giving an advantage to our adversaries.”
Ukraine and its Digital Transformation:
Ukraine has experienced a rapid digital transformation and is on the way to becoming a leading digital state.
Valeriya Ionan, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine: “We are building the most convenient digital state in Ukraine. Our country has been called a European digital transformation tiger, and we are very proud of this.”
In comparison, Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer of Vodafone, noted the EU’s challenges with broadband technology and the need for advancements in 5G and beyond. In fact, “the EU is lagging behind not only the US and China but also middle-income states.”
Ukraine’s vision and commitment to innovation have been crucial. When the invasion began, Ukraine had only seven UAV producers, but by easing procurement processes and regulations, Ukraine now boasts around 300 drone producers.
Kamikaze drones are being used by Ukraine to strike Russian territories, and a special combat unit has been developed to enhance these efforts. As Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology & Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov noted, “Russia is actively using aviation to launch precision-guided missiles at our army. For deterrence, we launched kamikaze drones, allowing us to push back enemy aviation by hundreds of kilometers.”
Strengthening Transatlantic Ties: The EU, Western Balkans, and the United States:
Regardless of who wins the upcoming U.S. elections, Europeans will face ongoing challenges, including the potential for a more confrontational U.S. stance and the need for burden-sharing. Benjamin Haddad, Member of Parliament, National Assembly of the French Republic, shared his opinion: “Europeans will face challenges whether it’s Harris administration or Trump administration. A trend towards protectionism during the Biden administration will continue no matter the winner.” Slawomir Sierakowski, President of the Program Board, Impact CEE stated: “one thing is clear – no matter who wins the elections, the EU needs to take more responsibility for Ukraine.”
Steve Clemons, Contributing Editor, The National Interest & Co-Chair GLOBSEC US Initiative: “one of the tectonic aspects of instability has been in the Western Balkans.” Yet, Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania: “I don’t see a big difference between us and the EU. Of course, we have an important gap when it comes to the economy. But we have always been Europeans, and that is not something to be decided in Brussels.”
Crisis of Trust: Democracy, Journalism, and the Challenge of Misinformation:
Trust in politicians has reached an all-time low, and as Ivan Krastev, Chairman of the Centre for Liberal Strategies, said, “it is difficult for a government to communicate anything because the default is to mistrust.”
However, as authoritarian governments increasingly harass journalists, it underscores the critical need to ensure access to free and uncensored news to counteract regimes’ efforts to dominate information through AI and technology. Stephen Capus, President, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: “This is a very dangerous time to be a journalist covering places where there is an effort to silence journalists.”
Turning to the United States, Trump’s unpredictability and focus on domestic issues could significantly impact NATO and U.S.–European relations while making Europe more responsible for its own security and economic challenges.
In sum, Czech President Petr Pavel underlined, “as populism and disinformation divide our societies, they also affect our relations with other nations, which is crucial to our ability to solve global issues.”
Cybersecurity and AI in the Age of Hybrid Warfare:
In explaining the importance of taking cybersecurity seriously, Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President, Microsoft, stated, “when history marks February 24th as the invasion of Ukraine, that will be false; on the 23rd, the cybersecurity attacks had already begun.”
The frequency of cyber-attacks increased with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and its nature has transformed into more targeted attacks. Several hybrid warfare strategies, such as the disguise of military tools, can be tackled by the use of AI.
However, it is easy for policymakers to fall into the trap of AI being a solution for everything and better than humans. Brandon Tseng, President & Co-Founder of Shield AI, emphasized that “AI can be used to tackle hybrid warfare actions, but if it is hard to do for a human, it is going to be hard to do for AI as well.”
Revitalizing Europe’s Economy: Reducing Energy Dependence and Strengthening Solidarity:
Restarting the European economy while reducing dependency on Russian resources involves addressing complex challenges and has tested the EU’s capacity to tackle matters such as supply chain disruptions, shortage of sources, and the navigation of EU regulations.
Solidarity among nations, both big and small, is crucial to overcoming these obstacles and revitalizing the economy. As Jozef Sikela, Minister of Industry & Trade of the Czech Republic, stated, “unity, collaboration, and solidarity are the ways to solve issues, the way to tackle challenges and, in the future, how to prevent crises.”
“Security and competitiveness are one single world,” added Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute & Former Primer Minister of the Italian Republic.
Luc Remont, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of EDF, also emphasized the need for a common strategy regarding electricity, noting the EU’s reliance on imported energy compared to the self-sufficiency of the US. He advocated for fair trade agreements and a focus on reducing dependency on external energy sources.
On migration, Martin Kocher, Federal Minister of Labour and Economic Affairs of the Republic of Austria, said, “we have to convince a broad public of the necessities that come with demographic change. The workforces are shrinking in many European countries, so it is clear that we need to invest a lot in the improvements of labor productivity.”
About GLOBSEC 2024
GLOBSEC is an action-oriented policy institution born in Central Europe, with an international presence in Bratislava, Prague, Brussels, Vienna, Kyiv, and Washington D.C. Established in 2005, GLOBSEC is an independent, non-partisan, non-governmental organisation dedicated to enhancing security, prosperity, and sustainability in Europe and the world. To this goal contributes the annual GLOBSEC Forum, one of the leading global security conferences. GLOBSEC also organises the annual GLOBSEC Tatra Summit, a conference that provides the opportunity for experts to have discussions on the economic future of Europe.
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