The current geopolitical implications for the region along with energy spikes and increasing food prices are driving the world to a multi-faceted crisis. Mankind is sailing through troubled and uncharted waters. Adding to the aforementioned challenges, there are also concerns on new refugee flows owing to the current conflicts and Europe’s security architecture.

Reinforcing Europe’s unity and solidarity in the midst of this turmoil is ongoing. Governments, institutions and civil society should cooperate more closely with key stakeholders in order to mitigate the current crisis, underpin social cohesion and achieve stability and recovery for Europe.

Against this setting, Romania has a strategic role to play as the country emerges as a key player for Europe’s collective security and NATO’s strategy with regards to Ukraine’s war with Russia. On the business front, Romania’s recent achievements in attracting strategic foreign investments and promoting innovation can serve as a role model and a positive narrative for other central and eastern European countries.

Discussion topics:

THE ECONOMIST’S FORECAST ON EUROPE’S GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND EUROPE’S ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE

Joan Hoey, editorial director, The Democracy Index, Europe consultant, The Economist Group

ADDRESSING GLOBAL THREATS AT EUROPE’S FRONTLINE: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MULTILATERAL CO-OPERATION

• A new era of power politics?
• What can we expect about the rules-based international order?
• Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen: next steps to be taken
• Strengthening cross-border cooperation and integration

– Guy Verhofstadt, MEP, former prime minister, Belgium
– Sergei Stanishev, MEP, vice-chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Parliament, fmr prime minister of Bulgaria
– Traian Hristea, secretary of state for global affairs and diplomatic strategies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania
– Kathleen Kavalec, US ambassador to Romania

EUROPE’S STRATEGY FOR UNITY, SOVEREIGNTY
AND COHESION: WHERE DOES ROMANIA STAND?

– Mihai Alexandru Ghigiu, head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Romania
– Martin Schulz, former president, European Parliament, chair, Friedrich Ebert Foundation

FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROSPECTS FOR EUROPE IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF HEIGHTENED UNCERTAINTY

• The financial outlook for SE Europe
• Necessary reforms for a more resilient growth model
• Unlocking potential in the new business landscape through restructuring

– Marcel-Ioan Boloș, minister of finance, Romania
– Mateusz Szczurek, lead economist for central and south-eastern EU countries, EBRD, former minister of finance, Poland
– Paul Dieter-Cîrlănaru, CEO, CITR

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT & GROWTH IN ROMANIA AND THE WIDER REGION

• Sharing insight with the international institutions
• Financing strategic sectors through private equity instruments
• The investor’s point of view

–  Johan Meyer, CEO, Franklin Templeton Romania
– Andrei Cionca, CEO and co-founder, Impetum Group
– Stefan Kraus, chief operating officer, member of the executive committee, Henley & Partners

RE-INDUSTRIALISING EUROPE: STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AMID GLOBAL TRADE UNCERTAINTIES

• Policy framework for industrial development
• Romania’s industrial sector: an evaluation

– Ștefan-Radu Oprea, minister of economy, Romania
– Alin Marius Andrieș, secretary of state, Ministry of Finance, Romania
– Nikos Papathanasiou, VP public policy & economic research, Philip Morris International

WHY EUROPE NEEDS INNOVATION TO STAY COMPETITIVE

• Where do Europe and especially SE Europe stand?
• Leveraging tech to close the productivity gap

– David Born, director, Roland Berger Institute

TECHNOLOGY: WITNESSING A GREAT TRANSITION

• How are AI, innovation and digitalisation altering the business landscape?
• How does digitalisation affect regional and social inequalities?
• Investing in technology: Romania as a case study
• Tech disruption and geopolitical divisions

– Marius Viorel Posa, secretary of state, Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization, Romania
– Achilleas Kanaris, CEO, Vodafone Romania
– Iwona Sikora, senior vice-president and general manager, EMEA, Iron Mountain
– Kostas Loukas, EMEA regional general manager, Government, Microsoft

HOW CAN ROMANIA’S INFRASTRUCTURE ACCELERATE GROWTH IN TIMES OF GROWING CONFLICT?

• Assessing the consequences of the war in Ukraine
• The significance of concession agreements and PPPs
• Europe’s comparative advantages in the context of global antagonisms
• EU’s eastern partners: How can the EU increase its presence in the region?

– Ionut Savoiu, state secretary of transport and infrastructure, Romania
– Nikolaos Tachiaos, deputy minister of infrastructure and transport, Greece (via connection)
– Vicky Loizou, secretary-general of private investments, Ministry of Development, Greece
– Alexandros Exarchou, chairman of the BoD & CEO, Aktor – Member of Intrakat Group

CAN ENERGY SECURITY AND AFFORDABILITY GO HAND IN HAND?

• Green transition: challenges and complications
• Romania’s contribution to Europe’s energy security
• The role of hydrocarbons
• Which energy infrastructure projects are critical for the region?

– Matthew Baldwin, deputy director-general, DG Energy, European Commission (via connection)
– Boyana Achovski, secretary-general, Gas Infrastructure Europe
– Alessio Menegazzo, CEO & country manager, PPC Romania
– Christina Verchere, CEO OMV Petrom
– Ștefan Popescu, director of regulations and public affairs – Romgaz Black Sea
– Angelos Syrigos, associate professor, International Law & Foreign Policy, Panteion University, MP, Hellenic Parliament

CLIMATE CHANGE: TIME FOR ACTION

– Sir David King, chair, Climate Crisis Advisory Group, UK, fmr permanent special representative for climate change

SECURING A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

• Environmental policy and regulation for the green economy and sustainable development
• ESG for business leadership

– Mircea Fechet, minister of environment, waters and forests, Romania
– Catalina Marga, chief financial officer, RetuRO
– Alice Nichita, corporate affairs & sustainability director, Coca-Cola HBC Romania

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SE EUROPE IN TIMES OF GEOPOLITICAL TURMOIL

• Finding the opportunities
• Strategy for business ventures
• Enhancing connectivity and logistics
• The Mare to Mare project and its regional impact

– Pilar Solano, head of department, lending operations in central and south eastern Europe, EIB
– Victoria Zinchuk, director for Romania, EBRD
– Ramona Jurubiță, vice-president, FIC Romania
– Natalia Bejan, general director, Invest Moldova Agency
– George Kremlis, chair, Espoo convention, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, ambassador, European Public Law Organization, Bulgaria

Cea de-a 12-a ediție a Aspen – GMF Bucharest Forum, eveniment organizat de Institutul Aspen România și German Marshall Fund of the United States the United States, a avut loc în perioada 9 – 10 noiembrie 2023, la București.

O conferinţă anuală emblematică pentru diplomația publică, de importanţă strategică în regiunea Mării Negre, Aspen – GMF Bucharest Forum va reuni lideri politici globali şi regionali, reprezentanti de top ai sectorului privat şi experţi de renume, oferind o platformă pentru dezbateri actuale şi provocatoare, abordând teme complexe într-un context regional și internațional dinamic și volatil.

Ediția din acest an se va concentra pe transformările și provocările pe care războiul din Ucraina le-a generat la nivel internațional. Printre temele care vor fi dezbătute se numără:

⦁ Nouă arhitectură politică şi economică europeană şi rolul Europei Centrale, de Sud-Est și de Est.
⦁ Perspectivele pentru pace în Ucraina și pentru securitate şi stabilitate regională.
⦁ Democrația într-o lume divizată.
⦁ Reziliența și regionalizarea lanțurilor de producție.
⦁ Inovația, noile tehnologii şi rolul acestora în relaţiile dintre marile puteri.
⦁ Piețele financiare și rezilienţa regională.
⦁ Tranziţia verde şi securitatea energetică în UE şi în regiune.

The following main topics will be addressed:

– Predictability & resilience of the healthcare system: ensuring the predictable financing of the system in order to provide continuous and universal access to medical services to all categories of patients, while also ensuring access to new, life-saving, innovative medicines. Benefits of the newly launched Health Innovation Hub and ways to operationalize an Innovation Fund in healthcare.

– Shifting the paradigm from a hospital-centric system towards pre-hospital medical services / outpatient care. Continuing to focus on promoting primary prevention (e.g. access to vaccination and vaccination pathways) & secondary prevention (including screening / early detection, implementing point-of-care testing).

– Supporting the implementation of critical national strategies: towards fully functioning National Plans for Beating Cancer and for Combating Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases. Discussions will focus on prevention and education while addressing ways to improve access to diagnosis and innovative treatments. The role of the private sector in contributing to the success of these National Strategies will also be discussed.

– E-health, Biotechnology, AI and the Digitalization of the Healthcare System: what are best practices from abroad and how can the Romanian healthcare system benefit from the widespread use of data and innovative digital solutions in the medical sector? How can the public and the private sector collaborate to the benefit of patients?