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.

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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.

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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.


Public events

German-French Strategic Dialogue: Global Powershifts (in German)
Institut Français in ...
15:00 - 16:30
Times of dynamic geopolitical upheaval in the global power architecture present Europe with a major challenge. Dealing with Russia since its attack on Ukraine, ...
German-French Strategic Dialogue
via Zoom
18:30
Both the French and German governments are equally confronted with the challenge of digital sovereignty. In the last five years, the number of cyber attacks in ...
Deutsch-Französischer Strategischer Dialog: Machtverschiebungen
Institut Français in ...
15:00 - 16:30
Zeiten der dynamischen geopolitischen Umbrüche in der globalen Machtarchitektur stellen Europa vor große Herausforderung. Der Umgang mit Russland seit dessen ...

Program

Pre-Event: Franco-German Strategic Dialoge on "Global Power Shifts - Do we have a common German-French perspective?" (in German, open to public)

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

3:00 p.m.

Welcoming remarks

  • Dr. Matthieu Osmont, Institut français Bonn

3:15 p.m.

Panel Discussion

"Global Power Shifts - Do we have a common German-french perspective?"

  • 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

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Main Day: "A World out of Joint – Global Power Shifts and Religous Extremism"

Thursday, 19 October 2023

12:00 p.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Opening Remarks

  • Hendrik Wüst (digital), Minister President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dusseldorf
  • Prof. Dr. Andreas Zimmer, Vice Rector for Research and Early-Career Researchers, University of Bonn

12:10 p.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Welcoming Remarks

  • Nicole Unterseh, First Deputy Mayor, City of Bonn

12:15 p.m. - 01:15 p.m.

Introductory statements

“The Role of Academic Excellence in the Transatlantic Partnership”

  • Pauline Kao, Consul General for the United States in North Rhine-Westphalia, Dusseldorf

“Israel under attack: a view from our academic partner”

  • Prof. Assaf Moghadam (digital), Professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Tel Aviv

“Turmoil in the Middle East, war in Ukraine, and beyond: two snapshots”

  • Sir Richard Shirreff, General (ret.) and former Deputy Supreme Commander NATO Europe, London
  • Prof. Phillips O’Brien, Professor for Strategic Studies, Head of the School of International Relations, University of St Andrews

01:15 p.m. - 01:45 p.m. 

Lunch Break

01:30 p.m. - 03:00 p.m.

First session: “Global Power Shifts and the Future Strategic Landscape”

Impulse statement

  • Prof. Dr. Beatrice de Graaf, Professor for History of International Relations and Global Governance, Utrecht University

Followed by a discussion with

  • Prof. Dr. Phillips O’Brien, Professor for Strategic Studies, Head of the School of International Relations, University of St. Andrews
  • Sir Richard Shirreff, General (ret.) and former Deputy Supreme Commander NATO Europe, London

Chair

  • Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie, Henry Kissinger Professor for Security and Strategic Studies, Director of CASSIS, University of Bonn
  • Dr. Mayssoun Zein Al Din, Executive Director of the Academy of International Affairs NRW, Bonn

03:00 p.m. - 03:45 p.m.

Coffee Break

03:45 p.m. - 05:15 p.m.

Second Session: “Political Islam as a hybrid Actor in Europe – activities, means and strategies”

Impulse Statements

  • Marwa Farid, Policy Advisor at the European Foundation for Democracy, Brussels
  • Prof. Dr. Christine Schirrmacher, Professor for Islamic Studies at the Universities Bonn and Leuven
  • Prof. Thomas Jäger, Professor for International Relations and Foriegn Policy, University of Cologne
  • Dr. Johann Schmid, Center for Military History and Social Science, Bundeswehr, Potsdam

Followed by a discussion

  • Mag. Lisa Fellhofer, Director, Austrian Fund for the Documentation of Religiously Motivated Political Extremism, Vienna
  • Prof. Thomas Weber, Professor of History and International Affairs, Director of the Centre for Global Security and Governance at the University of Aberdeen

06:00 p.m. - 07:30p.m.

ZEF/ZEI
Genscherallee 3
53113 Bonn

Third Session: “Afghanistan and Pakistan on a Knife’s Edge – Transatlantic Perspectives 

  • Peter C. Flory, Former NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investmen
  • Jill Long, Air Attaché at Embassy of the United States in Germany, Berlin
  • Prof. Jochen Prantl, Professor for Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University
  • H.E. Syedah Saqlain, Ambassador to the State of Pakistan in Germany, Berlin

Discussion led by

  • PD Dr. Evelyn Bokler-Völkel, Research Fellow, Centre for Islamic Theology, University of Münster

07:30 p.m.

Concluding remarks

  • Prof. Ulrich Schlie, Henry Kissinger Professor for Security and Strategic Studies, Director of CASSIS, University of Bonn

Reception



Bonn Future Lab on Strategic Foresight "Global Energy Transitions", October 20 to October 22, 2023

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 1 “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
  • 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”

  • 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

Einflussfaktoren und Wirkungsanalyse

Ergebnisse der Trendanalyse, Ausarbeiten der Einflussfaktoren, Wirkungsanalyse

(Plenum und Kleingruppen)

13:30 Uhr

Mittagspause

14:30 Uhr

Fallbeispiel

„Resilienz-Monitoring für die Digitalisierung der Energiewende (ReMoDigital)”

Davy Van Doren, Institut für qualifizierende Innovationsforschung und -beratung GmbH (IQIB)

15:15 Uhr

Szenarienentwicklung

(Plenum und Kleingruppen)


Sonntag, 22. Oktober 2023

09:00 Uhr

Wake-Up Call (hybrid)

„Energiekrise oder – chance? Der Blick aus den Regionen“

  • Dr. Clemens von Doderer, Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung e.V. Namibia
  • Birgit Lamm, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit Pakistan

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

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