Welcome everyone, thank you so much for all of it coming, im very conscious to how close we are two thanksgiving and the entire reports of traffic that those of you who will be traveling are going to have to face. So it is fantastic that you have taken time to be with us, though i am not surprised because of our guest who is with us today, just a quick word about the global europe program. This is a program that we have designed to do a little different because it looks at the pressures end stresses and issues that confront the continent of europe whether thats the arctic and the issues of Climate Change and trade. Whether thats migration. Whether thats the big relationships with russia, china, of course the United States and also whether it is issues that confronted and many different in challenging ways of which our guests will be able to talk extremely eloquently in this case around africa. Alex probably needs no introduction. He has been in the European Union a special representati
To the northeast region including ethiopia, sudan and djibouti. His comments came at an event hosted by the Wilson Center and included a talk about china and the middle east influence in the region. [inaudible conversations]. That you so much to all of you for coming. Im very conscious of how close we are to thanksgiving, the dire reports that those of you who be traveling will have to face, so its fantastic youve taken time this point to be with us. Though im not surprised because of our guest who is with us today. Just a quick word about the Global Europe Program which i chair for the woodrow Wilson Center, this is a program we decide to do something a little bit different because it looks at the pressures and stresses and issues that confront the continent of europe, whether that the arctic and the issues of Climate Change and trade, whether thats migration, whether thats the big relationships with russia, china and and, of course, with the United States, and whether its issues that
Welcome, everyone. Thank you so much to awful you for coming. I am very conscious of how close we are to thanksgiving and the dire reports of traffic that those of you who will be traveling are going to have to face. It is fantastic that you have taken time out this morning to be with us. Though i am not surprised. Because of our guest who is with us today. Just a quick word about the global europe program, which i chair for the wood row wilson center. This is a program that we have designed to do something a little bit different because it looks at the pressures and stresses and issues that confront the continent of europe, whether that is the optic issues of Climate Change and trade, whether that is migration, whether that is the big relationships with russia, sportscenter with Scott Van Pelt china and of course the United States, and whether it is issues that confronted in many and channinging ways, of which our guest will be able to talk extremely el quenltly, in this case around t
Continent of europe, whether that is the arctic, the issues of Climate Change and trade, whether it is migration, whether that is the big relationships with russia, china, and of course the United States, and whether it is issues that confronted in many different and challenging ways of which our guests will be able to talk extremely eloquently, in this case around the horn of africa. Alex needs probably no introduction to any of you. He has been the European Union special representative for the horn of africa for years now. It is based now in nairobi and have been working on issues that concern all of us throughout his long career, perhaps especially now on the horn of africa. Im going to begin by asking him a few questions and then invite you to join in the conversation. This is on the record. We have cspan here. We are delighted to see you. We hope the people watching this will enjoy it as much as you will. It is a great delight to have you here alex. Im a huge fan of everything you
In putting together firstclass programs looking at the region and particularly chinas role in it and todays program countering china in the indo pacific is very much in keeping with his the thrust of his work here at the Hudson Institute. So congratulations on bringing this to fruition. And hes also assembled an absolutely firstrate gripe of group of experts. Starting immediately from my left in the order they will in , richard, currently taiwan, has just completed a new book and hell touch a bit on that. Hes one of the foremost authorities on Southeast Asia and the philippines and particularly the philippinechina relationship. To his left, just returned to washington to become the head of the u. S. Effort of the Observer Research foundation. I first met him almost 30 years ago in japan. Delighted to see how youve developed into an absolute firstclass institute leader, but also a scholar and analyst on the region. And i met today lisolette, a senior fellow here at the institute. Whats