NATO, EU officials to attend 'Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum' international conference in Mamaia

NATO and EU officials, along with representatives of organisations dealing with foreign affairs and national security, and academics will be participating in a three-day "Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum" international conference that is starting in the Black Sea resort of Mamaia this after-noon. According to a press statement released by the Constanta City Hall, the regional security forum brings to Romania officials with extensive professional backgrounds to discuss standard and emerging security challenges in the Black Sea region and the Balkans. Invited to attend are: founder of the Geopolitical Futures company for geopolitical forecasting and analysis and the Stratfor Agency, George Friedman; former US Army Command Europe Frederick Benjamin Hodges; Romania's Minister of National Defence Gabriel Les; Mayor of Odessa Gennadiy Leonidovich Trukhanov; Italy's Chief of National Defence Enzo Vecciarelli; NATO's Deputy Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning Patrick Turner; European Commission Deputy Director for Mobility and Transport Maja Bakran Marcich, and Chairman of the EU Military Committee, former Chief of the Italian National Defence Staff Claudio Graziano. "The items on the agenda of the event regard military and hybrid threats; information on cyberwar and cyber-related issues; how climate change affects the region; the importance of the religious factor in terms of reconciliation and radicalisation. At the same time, debates will focus on the influence of the militarisation of the Black Sea region on the security of Eastern Europe; energy security; regional co-operation formats such as Bucharest 9 and the Three Seas Initiative; industrial defence co-operation and the challenges of the new generation of war." According to the statement, senior Romanian and foreign officials, NATO and EU officials, along with representatives of organisations dealing with foreign affairs and national security, and academics will debate in open sessions as well as panels subject to Chatham House regulations, themes of interest to Romania's security and neighbouring areas. The third edition of the international conference "Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum" is organised by the New Strategy Centre, in partnership with the Ovidius University of Constanta and the Constanta Metropolitan Area. AGERPRES (RO - author: Nona Jalba, editor: Oana Popescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)

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