MED Panels

27 Nov 2024
11:30 - 12:15  CET
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Pillar Security | SECURING THE MEDITERANNEAN: THE ROLE OF WESTERN BALKANS

Chair:
Maria Tripodi

Undersecretary of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

Speakers:
Antonio Tajani

Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy

Melita Gabrič

State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Slovenia - Group of friends of Western Balkans

Igli Hasani

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Ervin Ibrahimović

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Elmedin Konaković

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Igor Kuželka

Assistant Minister for Security Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Serbia

In an increasingly interconnected, complex and unstable Mediterranean region, questions of security span beyond military concerns to include economic stability and energy resilience. The Western Balkans, with their strategic position at the crossroads between Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean, play a key role in this evolving landscape. Strengthening economic ties and fostering energy cooperation across the Balkans could contribute to a more secure and prosperous Mediterranean. In this context, the prospect of EU enlargement to the Balkan region offers not just a means of integrating these countries into European frameworks but also a potential avenue to enhance regional stability and mitigate external vulnerabilities. While the path towards enlargement remains a long-term aspiration, its consideration within the broader security framework could foster a more cohesive Mediterranean, capable of addressing shared challenges such as economic disparities and energy dependencies.

What role for the Balkans in securing in the Mediterranean? How can the integration of the Western Balkans into Mediterranean economic and energy frameworks bolster regional security? What role can the prospect of EU enlargement play in stabilising the Mediterranean region? How can economic and energy cooperation in the Balkan region contribute to reducing external influences on Mediterranean security?

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