International Security Forum Bonn 2023
October 19 - October 22, 2023
The International Security Forum Bonn, since many years, serves as a platform to convene distinguished international experts and practitioners of security and foreign policy to debate the future of transatlantic relations and key challenges in international politics. The aim is to identify ways and means for a successful German, European and transatlantic foreign and security policy and to develop and discuss comprehensive strategic solutions to pressing security challenges.
From 19 October to 22 October 2023, ISFB will be held for the eighth time in person on the premises of the University of Excellence Bonn as the most important international security conference in North Rhine-Westphalia and all neighboring federal states.
The ISFB is composed of a transatlantic conference day, the Main Day (on October 19), which focuses primarily on traditional security policy issues, and the Bonn Future Lab on Strategic Foresight "Global Energy Transitions" (October 20 - 22).
The International Security Forum Bonn 2023 will take place under the patronage of Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst. The Main Day under the title "A World out of Joint – Global Power Shifts and Religous Extremism" provides international experts the possibility to discuss the future of transatlantic relations and key challenges in international politics. The Main Day of the International Security Forum Bonn 2023 is hosted by the Henry Kissinger Professorship for Strategic and Integration Studies at the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies in cooperation with the Academy of International Affairs NRW.
The Bonn Future Lab on Strategic Foresight “Global Energy Transitions” consists of two complementary segments: On October 20th, high-level international experts will discuss interactions between energy supply and international conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, as well as the importance of global power shifts for various facets of energy security broadly in the panels “Geopolitics of Energy Transitions” and “Geoeconomics and Energy Transitions”, “Innovation and Technology: Shortcuts to Sustainable Futures?” and “Beyond Dependence: Energy Cooperation Among Tech Middle Powers”. After short remarks of each panelist, each format will offer great opportunity for discussion with the audience. Based on this distinguished international conference, on the following days, young academics and experts will develop scenarios and contrive sustainable, resilient and successful strategies for European and German policymakers in a professional, method-based strategic foresight workshop.
Information
Unless noted differently, the International Security Forum Bonn 2023 will take place under Chatham House Rule and by invitation only. Some formats are open to the general public. You find further details down below.
Pre-Event: Franco-German Strategic Dialogue
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
3:00 p.m.
Welcoming remarks
- Dr. Matthieu Osmont, Institut français Bonn
3:15 p.m.
Panel Discussion
"Globale Machtverschiebung - Haben wir noch eine gemeinsame deutsch-französische Perspektive?"
- Claude-France Arnould, former Ambassador
- Prof. Joachim Bitterlich, former Ambassador, Ecole Supérieure de Commerce Paris
Chair: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie, University of Bonn
Partners of the pre-event
Main Day: "A World out of Joint – Global Power Shifts and Religous Extremism"
Thursday, 19 October 2023
12:00 p.m. - 12:05 p.m.
Opening Remarks
12:05 p.m. - 12:10 p.m.
Welcoming Remarks
12:10 p.m. - 02:10 p.m.
Keynote Speeches
“America, Europe and Germany in the World of Tomorrow”
02:10 p.m. - 02:45 p.m.
Lunch Break
02:45 p.m. - 04:30 p.m.
First session: “Global Power Shifts and the Future Strategic Landscape”
04:30 p.m. - 05:00 p.m.
Coffee Break
05:00 p.m. - 06:45 p.m.
Second Session: “Political Islam as a Hybrid Actor in Europe – Activities, Means and Strategies”
07:00 p.m. - 08:00 p.m.
Third Session: “Afghanistan and Pakistan on a Knife’s Edge – Transatlantic Perspectives”
08:00 p.m.
Dinner (by invitation)
Friday, October 20th
until 08:30 a.m.
Arrival, Registration (University Forum Bonn)
09:00 a.m.
Opening & Welcome (public)
- Dr. Enrico Fels, CASSIS
- Prof. Dr. Birgit Münch, Vice Rector for International Affairs, University of Bonn
09:30 a.m.
Keynote “Strategic Pathways for Sustainable Hydrogen Evolution” (public)
- Prof. Dr. Detlef Stolten, Forschungszentrum Jülich
10:15 a.m.
Input Session 1
“Geopolitics of Energy Transitions”
- Dr. Gilles Lepesant, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
- Yana Popkostova, European Centre for Energy and Geopolitical Analysis (ECEGA)
- Michael Rühle, Climate and Energy Security Section, NATO, ret.
- Prof. Dr. Maria Julia Trombetta, University of Nottingham Ningbo
- Dr. Frank Umbach, European Cluster for Climate Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS) at CASSIS
Chair: PD Dr. Antje Nötzold, University of Technology Chemnitz
11:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
12:00 a.m.
Input Session 2
“Geoeconomics and Energy Transitions”
- Dr. Kevin Dayaratna, Heritage Foundation
- Prof. Dr. Stefan Liebing, Conjuncta
- Prof. Dr. Tatiana Romanova, Saint-Petersburg State University
- Dr. Peter Zeniewski, International Energy Agency
Chair: Prof. Dr. Hubertus Bardt, German Economic Institute
01:30 p.m.
Lunch
02:30 p.m.
Keynote 2 (public)
“Geopolitcs of Hydrogen: Anticipating the Future Energy-Security Nexus”
- Dr. Dawud Ansari, German Institute for International and Security Affaires (SWP)
03:15 p.m.
Input Session 3
“Innovation and Technology: Shortcuts to Sustainable Futures?”
- Prof. Dr. Marc Oliver Bettzüge, Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI)
- Prof. Dr. Kathleen J. Hancock, Colorado School of Mines
- Prof. Dr. Stefanie Meilinger, International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE), University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
- Gilles Le Van, Large Industries and Energy Transition Central Europe Air Liquide
Chair: Dr. Bert Droste-Franke, Institut für qualifizierende Innovationsforschung und -beratung GmbH (IQIB)
04:45 p.m.
Coffee Break
05:15 p.m.
Input Session 4
“Beyond Dependence: Energy Cooperation Among Tech Middle Powers”
- Dr. Gedaliah Afterman, Reichman University
- Mohammed Baharoon, Dubai Public Policy Research Center (b’huth)
- Prof. Dr. Jochen Prantl, Australian National University
- Dr. Rita Strohmaier, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
- Dr. Erick Tambo, Pan African Cooperation and Educational Technologies (PACET), United Nation University
Chair: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Mayer, CASSIS
06:45 p.m.
Dinner and Reception
Strategic Foresight Workshop (in German, by invitation only)
Samstag, 21. Oktober 2023
09:00 Uhr
Wake-Up Call
Wehrhaft. Resilient. Nachhaltig. Über die außen- und sicherheitspolitische Strategiefähigkeit der Bundesregierung
Welcome: Dr. Enrico Fels, CASSIS
- Prof. Dr. René Bantes, Fraunhofer INT
- Dr. Henning Riecke, Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik (BAKS)
- Dr. Olaf Theiler, Bundeswehr
Chair: Jessica Nies, Gesellschaft für Sicherheitspolitik e.V. (GSP)
11:00 Uhr
Recap (Plenum)
Methodische Einführung
Ergebnisse der Trendanalyse
11:30 Uhr
Unsicherheitsanalyse (Plenum)
13:30 Uhr
Mittagspause
15:30 Uhr
Szenarienentwicklung
(in Kleingruppen)
19:00 Uhr
Abendessen, danach Zeit zur freien Verwendung
Sonntag, 22. Oktober 2023
09:00 Uhr
Wake-Up Call (hybrid)
„Energiekrise oder – chance? Der Blick aus den Regionen“
- Birgit Lamm, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit Pakistan
- HSS, tbc
Chair: Maximilian Schranner, CASSIS
10:00 Uhr
Recap (Plenum)
10:30 Uhr
Strategieentwicklung I
(in Kleingruppen)
13:00 Uhr
Mittagspause
14:00 Uhr
Strategieentwicklung II
(in Kleingruppen)
15:30 Uhr
Vorstellung und Diskussion der Strategien
(im Plenum)
17:30 Uhr
Debriefing
18:30 Uhr
Abreise
