15:00

Riga time (UTC+2)

OPENING OF THE FUTURE LEADERS FORUM 2020

Elisabeth Bauer, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation for the Baltic States

Sigita Struberga, Secretary General of Latvian Transatlantic Organisation

Eric Povel, NATO Public Diplomacy Division

15:15 – 16:15

Riga time (UTC +2)

DISCUSSION: NATO AND MODERN CONFLICTS: ADAPTATION AND TRANSFORMATION

NATO is an alliance, which is known as the most capable and credible organisation serving the national defence interests of its member states and contributing to international security. Over the last twenty years the international community has seen an increase in variations of new types of violent and non-violent conflicts which keep multiplying and diversifying. Is NATO fit for these new challenges? Is NATO politically and militarily strong enough to cope with such “unknowns”? Are NATO capabilities efficient and sufficient enough for new challenges?

Julian Lindley-French, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at the National Defense University in Washington

Jānis Karlsbergs, Deputy of State Secretary, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia

Martin Svárovský, Head of the Security Strategies Program at the European Values Center for Security Policy

Eric Povel, NATO Public Diplomacy Division

Moderator: Sandis Šrāders, Board Member of LATO, Fellow and Lecturer in Russian Military and Strategic Studies at the Baltic Defence College

16:30 – 17:30

Riga time (UTC +2)

DISCUSSION: CHALLENGES BETWEEN NATO AND CHINA

The list of global challenges is long and comprehensive. NATO as an important international security organisation is concerned about geopolitical cleavages taking place in the world. The political, military and technological ambitions of China influence the existing balance of power. Authoritarian regimes are testing multilateral world order and existing international norms and principles. What are China’s global ambitions? What is the purpose of China’s military posture? What policies should NATO put forward in order to ensure regional and international stability?

Jamie Shea, Associate Fellow, International Security Programme, Chatham House

Frank Jüris, Junior Research Fellow, the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute

Michael Rühle, Head of the Hybrid Challenges and Energy Security Section, NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division

Andrew A. Michta, Dean of the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

Moderator: Rūdolfs Oto Selga

10:00 – 11:30

Riga time (UTC +2)

SIDE EVENT “FUTURE OF NATO”

11:45 – 12:45

Riga time (UTC +2)

DISCUSSION: WHAT POLICIES FOR DIVERGENT EUROPE’S EASTERN NEIGHBOURS?

While glossing over various public activities, the political regime of Russia is becoming increasingly authoritarian. Belarus is undergoing a brave but painful transition process. Ukraine and Georgia continue their individual Europeanization trails searching for a shortcut to the EU and NATO but have not been receiving promising messages from either of the institutions. Moldova tries to deal with its domestic political and economic challenges while in search of a European identity. Armenia and Azerbaijan are involved in an armed conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, which does not leave much time and space for comprehensive dialogue with European partners. What policy options are on the tables of the EU and NATO for their Eastern neighbours?

Pavel Luzin, Columnist at the Riddle

Dmitri Teperik, Chief Executive at the International Centre for Defence and Security

Aleksejs Grigorjevs, Vice-chairman of the Board, Baltic Black Sea Trust Fund

Andis Kudors, Lecturer, University of Latvia, Faculty of Social Sciences

Moderator: Mārtiņš Mūrnieks, Member of the Board of the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation, Head of the EaP programme at the Baltic Centre for Media Excellence

15:00 – 18:00

Riga time (UTC +2)

RC WARM-UP SESSIONS

18:30 – 19:30

Riga time (UTC +2)

SUSTAINABILITY OF DEMOCRACY: RELATION BETWEEN SECURITY AND DEMOCRACY

For decades, the European Union has served as an example for the rest of the world on sustainable democracy. According to data from IDEA, 14 out of 21 of the most advanced democracies in the world are found in European countries. At the same time, democracy has been challenged by several events and processes. Rise of populism (that led to Brexit), erosion of democratic values in Hungary and Poland and the spread of Covid-19 have led to several unpopular decisions which in turn have led towards questioning of the balance between security and democracy. How acceptable are restrictions on democracy during periods of crisis? What are the red lines of these restrictions? How effective are democratic regimes in case of a crisis?

Ivars Ijabs, Member of European Parliament

Amy Slipowitz, Research Manager for Freedom in the World, Freedom House

Lea Perekrests, Deputy Director of Operations, Europe & the MENA Region, Institute for Economics and Peace

Moderator: Kristaps Celmiņš Project Manager of the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation

09:00 – 12:15

Riga time (UTC +2)

RC PANELS

12:15 – 13:15

Riga time (UTC +2)

SIMULATION GAME

13:15 – 13:30

Riga time (UTC +2)

CONCLUDING REMARKS

13:15 – 20:40

Riga time (UTC +2)

RC PANELS