The growing tensions in international relations that culminated in the war in Ukraine and the Sino-American rivalry put NATO and the dialectic of the transatlantic alliance back at the forefront of global strategic affairs. The 2022 Strategic Concept falls within this dynamic by confirming the intentions at consolidating the capabilities of NATO for the benefit of the defense and collective security of all the Allies. This adjustment leads us to consider the current period as a transition phase, and to rethink the Alliance's relationship with the enlarged Atlantic in the light of Cooperative Security. The Euro-Atlantic certainly has the strategic and economic means as well as the capabilities to occupy the preponderant place in the enlarged Atlantic space. On the other hand, the Latin American and Afro-Atlantic subgroups, marked by a long history of development and security research, are rising in power, as great emerging powers for some, due to their new global geopolitical postures and their desire for diplomatic and strategic autonomy. Therefore, the wider Atlantic cannot be reduced to a vast and simple space segmented between the Euro-Atlantic and the South Atlantic, but it must also be thought of as a relevant space for cooperative security and economic prosperity. However, there are still many questions as to how this could take shape in a world full of uncertainties.
- What is the South Atlantic’s room for manoeuvre?
- What are the intentions of the Atlantic Alliance?
- What are the consequences of the global powers’ play on the region?
- Are there opportunities for cooperation in the Wider Atlantic?
In the last few months, the global order has been going through some fundamental changes which are affecting the competition between the great powers and have a direct impact on their relations with regional partners. Emerging challenges such as the climate change, cyberwarfare and artificial intelligence, hybrid warfare and non-state actors are shaping a new world that is profoundly different compared to the post-9/11 era, where the war on terrorism opened the gates to what have been successfully described as ‘forever wars’, which have forced the US and its allies to be engaged in the greater Middle East indefinitely.
The energy sector has undergone major transitions from the use of wood as a dominant fuel to the adoption of coal and, more recently, oil. In the 21st century gas has grown faster than any other fossil fuel and today renewable energy is growing even faster. The changes, combined with volatile energy prices and occasional shocks, create complex scenarios for the future of the energy sector. This has numerous implications, not only for the socio-economic development of NATO’s southern neighbourhood, and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries in particular, but also for energy security. Policymakers in the region should keep an eye on the current megatrends in the energy sector, and the short-term implications of one-off shocks like COVID-19, in order to define long-term strategies for a resilient energy sector.
NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) is a forum for cooperation launched in 1994 for non-NATO members from Mediterranean countries. It currently involves Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia. The 2004 Istanbul Heads of State NATO Summit gave new impetus to the dialogue by enhancing the level of partnership. Since then, many observers note its difficulty to position itself among other political initiatives that are multiplying in the Mediterranean. For our part, we argue that despite the imperfections of the MD, it is still an evolving process; like any institutional process, this dialogue is a process following phases and steps with achievements, inconsistencies and limitations that require a common reflection and debate on effective responses to correct defects and improve cooperation.
Plenary III: Can Nato Survive the Shifting Geopolitical Order? Moderator Kimberly Dozier, CNN & Daily Beast Contributor Speakers Michelle Ndiaye, Director Africa Peace, and Security Programme, Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, Former Foreign Minister, Republic of Mauritania J. Peter Pham, United States Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa; Vice President for Research and Regional Initiatives; Director, Africa Center, Atlantic Council Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director, Foundation for Strategic Research Joao Vale de Almeida, Ambassador Head of Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations