Regional High-Level Conference
"Confidence Building in the Black Sea Region"
Athens, 9 December 2019
The International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) in cooperation with the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) organised successfully the first ever Regional High-Level Conference on ‘Confidence Building in the Black Sea Region’, in Athens, Greece, on Monday 9 December 2019.
The event was held under the Hellenic BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office (1.7 – 31.12.2019).
Welcome addresses were delivered by Mr. Georgios MITRAKOS, Director General of International Centre of Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) and Professor Dr. Nicole DEITELHOFF, Director of the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF).
Delivering the keynote speech, Mr. Thanos DOKOS, Alternate Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, underlined the importance of non-military confidence building measures in creating a stable environment that will allow for productive cooperation and economic growth; while he particularly highlighted the example of Greek –Turkish CBMs over the years.
About the Conference
The event aimed to provide a platform for dialogue for national and regional stakeholders, to stimulate the discussion on and share knowledge about confidence building through cross-pillar actions at economic, environmental, cultural and socials levels.
Objectives:
- to assess the level of non-military confidence building measures in the Black Sea region;
- to highlight existing actions and processes, as a tool to support dialogue and understanding among parties;
- to share knowledge and best practices of CBMs from other regions.
Special emphasis was placed on the role of the BSEC Organisation and its institutions in fostering trust among its Member States, as the region’s oldest, most representative and institutionally mature intergovernmental Organisation.
