On
October 24th 2022 UPF Austria organized a Webinar on
“South Asia and New Security Challenges”
Video
report:
South Asia and New Security
Challenges.mp4
Introduction
The seven South Asian countries: Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka constitute one fifth
of the world's population. The region faces substantial challenges in the areas
of economic development, environmental protection, democratic governance,
internal and inter-state conflicts, with the added dimension of nuclear
capability and new security issues, such as international terrorism. The scale
of the problems, the number of people affected, as well as the potential
spill-over effect to the rest of the world makes it imperative both for the
South Asian countries and the international community to address these issues.
These interrelated and mutually reinforcing challenges must be dealt with in an
integrated manner.
Moderator:
Afsar Rathor, President LIOS-SOIL Organization (LIOS),
Austrian based environmental organization. Dr. Afsar
Rathor joined the United Nations in 1989 and worked as a senior executive of
the UN responsible for implementing
multimillions-dollar projects in Africa, Caribbean & South America and
Eastern Europe as well as Europe. More than Twenty-seven years of visionary
leadership experience and expertise with the UN in the fields of management,
project management, poverty alleviation, environment and energy. With an
internationally recognized successful track record of peacebuilding, conflict,
reconciliation and disaster management in many wars-hit conflict areas in
Middle East, Africa, South America and East Europe.
Speakers:
Ambassador (R) Asif Ali Khan Durrani, Senior Research Fellow in Islamabad Policy Research Institute. After
completing higher education Amb Asif Durrani joined Foreign Service in 1986, Served at
Headquarters as Section Officer, Director (UN) and Director Disarmament, Director General United Nations and Additional Secretary (FA)
President’s Secretariat, held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan
Missions in New Delhi, Tehran, New York, Kabul, and London. Ambassador of
Pakistan to UAE and Permanent Representative at International Renewal Energy
Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi; and Ambassador of Pakistan to Tehran & Permanent
Representative of Pakistan to the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO),
Tehran. He retired in July 2018 and lectured in Columbia University, Hofstra College New York, IISS London, RUSI London, Chatham
House London, National Defense College Kabul,
National Defense University Tehran, National Defense University (NDU) Islamabad; National Management
College (NMC) Lahore. Appears on
National and International electronic media as analyst on regional issues;
regular contributor to newspapers. Currently he is serving as Senior Research
Fellow in Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).
Peter Haider, President Universal Peace Federation Austrian
Chapter. President of the
Universal Peace Federation in Austria since 2005. He initiated already in 1984 the
"Forum Religion und Weltgestaltung" as a
platform for interreligious encounters in evening discussions and symposia in
Vienna. Since 2009 he organized with UPF Austria several NGO conferences in the
UN in Vienna commemorating the "World Interfaith Harmony Week" and
among others also on the theme "Perspectives for Sustainable Peace in
Europe: The UN Vision, the Role of Parliamentarians and Civil Society"
with parliamentarians.
Ashoke Swain, Professor and Head of Department of
Peace and Conflict Research Uppsala University Sweden
Dr. Ashok Swain is a Professor and Head of Department of Peace
and Conflict Research. He is the UNESCO Chair on International Water
Cooperation, and the Director of Research School of International Water
Cooperation at Uppsala University. He is also the founding Editor-in-Chief of
'Environment and Security' journal, jointly published by Sage Publishing and
Environmental Peacebuilding Association.
Alistair Edgar, Associate Professor and President
of the Canadian Landmine Foundation. Dr. Alistair D. Edgar is Associate
Professor of Political Science at Wilfred Laurier University, with
cross-appointment to the Balsillie School of International Affairs. He is an
editor of Global Governance: A Review of
Multilateralism and International Organizations (Brill/Nijhoff) and series co-editor for the ACUNS Series on the United Nations (Edward Elgar Publishers). He served as Executive Director of
the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) in 2003-2008 and
2010-2018. Outside of his scholarly activities, he is President of the Canadian
Landmine Foundation.
Organizer:
Yasir Khan, Research Associate, Austrian Institute for European
Security Policy. Dr Yasir Khan has a PhD in Political Science from University
of Vienna- Austria. He has served for the various international organizations
such as the United Nations, Academic Council on the United Nations System,
Sigmund Freud University Vienna. Currently, he is working as a Research
Associate with Austrian Institute for
European Security Policy Vienna- Austria
Organized in cooperation
with Universal Peace Federation Austria