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    Pakistan: Charting a course for revival  

    The conference focused on the weaknesses and strengths of Pakistan today, looking beyond recent crises. The debate explored, among other issues, flaws in the health and education systems that have kept the country on a downward spiral.
      
    In order to effect the needed changes, offered David Martin, Country Director of the British Council Pakistan, the first step is to examine the educational system. Summary and photos & Videos


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    Solidarity and austerity: The 2012 State of the European Union  

    Given the challenges that Europe is facing, ten leading Brussels think-tanks joined forces at their third annual Brussels Think-Tank Dialogue.  

    Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe called for a "message of fairness" from the EU, else it risks finding itself made the “scapegoat” for all of Europe’s ills. On the question of leadership, Merritt said, “just changing the boss is not the answer” and suggested there should be “genuine elections of the President and others at the top of the European Parliament”. Summary of discussions


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    Democracy 3.0: Re-casting media development in response to a changing environment  
    The panel discussed the role that new media, particularly social media, has played in the revolutions of the Arab Spring and in fomenting democratic participation throughout the developing world. “To borrow a technical term, we are witnessing a reboot of our societies,” offered panellist Amadou Mahtar Ba, CEO of the African Media Initiative. “Social media has been the key to a new democratic process.”  Photos and report

    

Recent Event
No trade-off between solidarity and austerity

The outlook is grim. EU governments are implementing austerity packages; populist and nationalist movements are growing; social discontent rages. Given these challenges, Friends of Europe and nine other leading Brussels-based think-tanks joined their forces to discuss the unavoidable issue of Solidarity and Austerity in the European Union at their third annual Brussels Think-Tank Dialogue. Read the summary of discussions

PUBLICATION
Pakistan: Charting a course for revival

by Shada Islam, Head of the Asia Programme at Friends of Europe. 
More than at any time in its troubled history, Pakistan faces an uncertain future. The country’s political institutions are fragile and the economy is struggling while religious extremism. Read more  
  
Download the commentary by Saquib Shirazi, CEO of Atlas Honda Limited, on Pakistan's economy.
 

News
Asia & Europe: Are we prepared for future pandemics?
On 2 February the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Public Health Network organised a Public Briefing to discuss scenarious in developing multi-sectoral pandemic preparedness plans for Asia and Europe. Download the press release

Related reading: "Asia, Europe and One Health" by Shada Islam, Head of the Asia Programme at Friends of Europe.
 

Trustees speak out

Carl Bildt: Endorse the Nuclear Test Ban
STOCKHOLM/MEXICO CITY – Indonesia’s parliament has just taken a historic step, one that makes the planet safer from the threat of nuclear weapons. The importance of Indonesia’s decision to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty cannot be overstated. This is a golden opportunity for the remaining eight countries to endorse the CTBT, enabling it to come into legal effect.

John Bruton: The Euro crisis-What could go wrong?
The European Union is facing a crisis because of the loss of confidence in the debts issued by several member states. This is related directly to the problems and activities of Europe’s banks.
All articles

Europe's World


The Issue : When is it Right to Oust a Tyrant?
by Hubert Védrine The successful military operation backing Libya’s rebels may mark a geopolitical turning point, argues former French foreign minister Hubert Védrine, but it doesn’t legitimise the so-called “right to intervene” in another country’s affairs.
     
  A Chink of Light in the EU’s Democratic Gloom
by Julian Priestley It is useless to pretend that Europe’s voters either like or respect the EU’s democratic underpinnings. Julian Priestley argues that the coming contest between its two main political groupings to secure the EU Commission’s top job may open up a new era in EU democracy.
Europe’s World is the only Eu-wide policy journal with a readership of over 100,000 mark. Issues can be consulted at www.europesworld.org, as well as articles from a wide range of other sources on “Think Tank Europe” and the “European Ideas Community”.

Friends of Europe: A decade of debates that shaped Europe

 

 

 

Friends of Europe has built a reputation over the past ten years for welcoming high profile speakers from the world of supranational and national politics, business, academia, civil society and the international media. 

 

  
Friends of Europe is a leading European think-tank that aims to stimulate thinking on the future of the EU.  For over a decade our contribution has been the confrontation of ideas that is vital to policymaking and to encouraging wider involvement in Europe's future.

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