ACADEMIC NETWORK CONFERENCE
SALAMANCA (SPAIN)
As part of the activities planned by the Spanish presidency of ICE in 2024, the CNI of Spain & its Academy organized the second “Academic Network Conference” between June 4th and 5th 2024 at the University of Salamanca.
This event, organized with the support of the University of Salamanca, took place in the historic Archbishop Fonseca College.
It mainly aimed at contributing to the consolidation of an operational academic network within the Intelligence College in Europe and to the presentation of research projects conducted in the Intelligence field in every member country, as well as at promoting collaboration among universities.
The research project of the Professor of the University of Cadiz, Antonio Diaz, was presented with the aim of testing European youth’s opinion on their Intelligence and Security Services. This is the first research project to be carried out collectively by ICE, with the active participation of universities of its academic network.
Six research papers were also presented by the representatives of Norway, Germany, Sweden, Slovenia, Romania and Denmark, and three working groups on Technology, Changing International Theatres and Intelligence Culture shared their conclusions with all participants.
This involves, inter alia, creating the optimum conditions to boost brainstorming between us. It is, therefore, essential to rely on a solid network, where common projects are undertaken and experiences and ideas are shared.
Universities must be the main driving force of these activities, both training activities, as well as activities to be closer to society.
Executive Seminar in Budapest “Emerging Technologies and New Prospects"
On 15-18 April 2024 the intel-community of Hungary hosted the ICE - Executive Education Course (EEC) on OSINT: “Emerging Technologies and New Prospects”.
The main organisers of the event were the Information Office of Hungary and the Ludovika University of Public Service. More than 30 participants came from 16 ICE member-countries.
The organisers drew in the best leading experts of the Hungarian intelligence services, academia, and related business life.
The lecturers selected the topics of their contributions from a wide range of OSINT-related issues, such as artificial intelligence, big data, media monitoring, alien media influence, cybersecurity and hacking, civilian cyber defence, cybercrime and OSINT investigations, home office and virtual agents, psychology and network analysis.
As a sign of ICE outreach goals, one of the leading presentations introduced the Zagreb-OSINT Centre of Excellence.
According to the final conclusions of the participants, the ICE-EEC in Budapest 2024 gave an excellent overview of OSINT capabilities, connected thought-provokingly OSINT with neighbouring disciplines, shared both national security best practices and knowledge of academia and the private sector. At the same time participants learned in a relaxed environment, and simply enjoyed the traditional Hungarian hospitality in the lovely city of Budapest.
IFRI- ICE INTELLIGENCE CYCLE
Estonian analysis of the Russian Threat to Europe
Ifri, in partnership with the Intelligence College in Europe, recently held the fifth conference in Ifri's intelligence series. This event aimed to analyze the threat landscape through the eyes of senior officials from various European countries and to contribute to a common Strategic European Intelligence culture.
On June 3rd, Ifri hosted a distinguished panel to analyze the state of the Russian threat in the realms of military power, cyberspace, and throughout the hybrid spectrum. The event, chaired by Thomas Gomart, IFRI’s Director, featured as Keynote Speakers K. Rosin, the Director General of the Foreign Intelligence Service, and A. Kiviselg, the Commander of the Estonian Military Intelligence Centre.
The Intelligence College in Europe thanks the Estonian Embassy in Paris, IFRI, all participants and attendees for making this event a success.
FIRST ICE ACADEMIC NETWORK OUTREACH ACTION IN BRUSSELS - Disinformation and National Security
On the 13th of May, the ICE Academic network has conducted its first ever outreach action in order to promote the work of four of its academics, who have just issued the “Routledge Handbook of Disinformation and National Security”.
The event, which has taken place within the Brussels headquarters of IRSEM (Institut de recherche stratégique de l'École militaire) Europe, the European branch of the French MoD Think Tank, has taken place in two moments:
- A high level roundtable on the theme “Disinformation and FIMI”, where one representative of NATO Public Diplomacy Division, of the French Service VIGINUM and of a Member State service have discussed on the topic before interacting under Chatham rules with a large, but selected audience of EU actors on Disinformation, FIMI and Security,
- a Spotlight event, with the three ICE co-editors of the Routledge Handbook on Disinformation and National Security,
Dr Ruben Arcos, Dr Irena Chiru & Dr Cristina Ivan, interacting mainly with European think-tankers.
These side-by-side events were open only under invitations and were targeting only known experts of the domain. This exclusive audience has been particularly active & reactive during the roundtable, which had to be extended from the planned one hour and a half to nearly two hours. The interest of the exchanges was such that a certain number of the first attendees have decided to stay to have the chance to interact with the scientific contributors of the first Routledge comprehensive scientific publication on the Disinformation topic.
This very first ICE Academic network action has allowed ICE to highlight and promote in Brussels the joint research effort of some of its Academics and to contribute to a common strategic culture in the Intelligence & Security domain.
This event, conducted just before the Second ICE Academic Conference, which will take place soon in Spain, will pave the way for another ICE academic event, end of this year, to mark the special edition of the International Journal for Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence (IJICI) on the Common European Strategic Intelligence culture.
The Intelligence College in Europe, which is celebrating this year its fifth anniversary, is proud, on top of its core training mission (making itself a sort of “Intel Erasmus”) and its security awareness actions, to be able to promote the joint efforts of the ICE Academics.
WEBINAR EUROPEAN UNION - LATIN AMERICA STRATEGIC RELATIONS
Last 12/04/2024, the Intelligence College in Europe, together with the Centro Nacional
de Inteligencia (CNI) (Spain), organized a webinar on the topic “European Union - Latin
America Strategic Relations” at the University of Alcalá, Madrid (Spain).
The moderator of the event was JORGE DE LA CABALLERIA, an experienced official at
the EU Commission, closely linked to the strategic relations with Latin America, in his
capacity as Head of the Latin American Unit of the Directorate-General for International
Partnerships B (DG-INTPA B) of the European Union.
The speakers were:
MARIO CIMOLI
He has ample experience and prestige in the region and has been Executive Secretary of
the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) until September
2022. He currently works as an academic in Italy and Mexico.
CLAUDIA GINTERSDORFER
She is Head of the Americas Regional Division in the European External Action Service,
responsible for coordinating relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. Next EU
Ambassador to Chile.
JUAN ALFREDO CERRUTI
He is Global Head of Economy and Vice President of Grupo Santander. He has extensive
experience in the region.
Professor Francisco Pascual Vives of the University of Alcalá (UAH), director of the
Institute of Latin American Studies, acted as host on behalf of the UAH, Spain.
The European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean represent more than one
third of the members of the United Nations and are a driving force in favour of a strong
rules-based multilateral system.
After eight years without summits, in 2023, the meeting of the Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States (CELAC) with the European Union was held in Brussels.
This meeting concluded with important agreements being reached in all areas,
highlighting the importance of trade cooperation, one of the most widespread networks
in the world, with a total trade in goods and services amounting to €369 billion in 2022.
The EU is the main investor in LATAM, but it is worryingly losing ground to China.
Cooperation in security has also increased in recent years due to the significant rise of
organized crime in Latin American institutions and its connections with transnational
crime networks, and furthermore, because of the deteriorating security situation in
many of the countries of the continent.
Despite the holding of these Summits and the need to simplify international relations
through organizations such as ECLAC, all the speakers agreed on pointing out that
LATAM is not a unit, but a complex and heterogeneous territory where it is essential to
know the idiosyncrasy of each country, since each one has its own problems, and the
formulas that work in one country may not be applicable to another country.
The same applies to the EU's green agenda. These demands cannot be transferred
automatically to Latin America, both due to historical reasons and to the current
economic reality. One cannot extrapolate an idea from one part of the world to another.
There is a great asymmetry, due to the industrialization era in Europe, which gives it a
head start of 200 years.
The structure of LATAM is different from that of Europe. LATAM needs to be part of the
process, not just a recipient of investments. More re-industrialization agreements are
needed.
Security plays a fundamental role in the fabric of the EU-LATAM cooperation, and it is
precisely in this area that the European Intelligence and Security Services can play an
important role.
From the point of view of investments, LATAM stands out for its potential in the areas
of food, energy and good level of training of its human resources. Rising demography
rates are considered a plus for investments (800 million people in 2050). The main
weaknesses are: Social inequality, poor infrastructures, the need for increased foreign
investment and greater involvement of institutions. It is always advisable to work with
a local partner in the project you want to start and choose the country very carefully,
since not all bear the same qualities.
China's influence in the region was also discussed, based mainly on its investment
potential and the ease with which China quickly provides for, and covers, the existing
needs. In this sense, it is considered important to be able to make LATAM see that the
cheapest option is not always the best one, without asking them to give up China. Thus,
the Global Gateway initiative could become an alternative to the Silk Road and offer
something different from what the Asian country offers: Sustainability and employment.
Interview with Gerhard Conrad
Do you want to know the work of an intelligence officer on strategic issues?
In this case, we invite you to watch this interview of the Intelligence and Security Senior Adviser of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Gerhard Conrad. A former BND officer and high level hostage negotiator in the Middle East, he led the EU Intelligence Centre (UE INTCEN) from 2016 to 2020, before retiring and moving towards various advising and teaching positions. He is currently a Visiting Professor in the King's College London. Additionally, he authored an interesting book in German titled: “Keine Lizenz zum Töten” (No Licence to Kill), at the Econ Publish House in 2022.
ALLEMAGNE SYMPOSIUM DROIT ET SERVICES DE RENSEIGNEMENT
Allemagne / CRE - 5 ème Symposium Droit et Services de Renseignement
Du 21 au 22 mars, s’est tenu à Berlin le 5ème Symposium Droit & Services de renseignement, organisé conjointement par la Chancellerie fédérale et par le ministère fédéral de l’Intérieur avec comme focus pour cette année « Services de renseignement et conflits armés ».
Superbement organisé, ce Symposium regroupait universitaires spécialistes du Droit et chercheurs en Intelligence Studies avec des membres de l’association des anciens cadres des services allemands (pour plus de détail, cf. www.gknd.de ), des dirigeants actuels des principaux services, de députés membres des commissions de contrôle, des cadres dirigeants du ministère de la Défense, de l’Intérieur et de la Coordination nationale et quelques journalistes spécialisés.
Il a permis d’aborder divers sujets liés au droit des conflits et de développer en détail les problématiques liées aux menaces hybrides. Avant le discours de clôture par la Coordinatrice nationale du Renseignement, s’est tenue une importante discussion en présence, notamment, du Président du BND, du Président de la Commission de contrôle parlementaire G10, de la Présidente du BaMAD, de la vice-Présidente du BFV (1).
De fait placé sous l’ombre portée de la guerre en Ukraine et de la fameuse déclaration du 27 février 2024 faite par le Chancelier Scholz sur la bascule stratégique (« Der 24.Februar 2022 markiert eine Zeitenwende in der Geschichte unseres Kontinents. »), ce symposium a permis d’évoquer en quoi cette bascule impactait ou devait impacter la communauté des Services allemands.
Le Secrétariat Permanent du Collège du Renseignement en Europe, qui œuvre de manière étroite avec l’Allemagne, un de ses membres fondateurs et un de ses soutiens les plus permanents, y était présent.
(1) – Respectivement Service du renseignement extérieur civil et militaire, Service de Protection et de contre-espionnage militaire et Service de sécurité intérieur (fédéral).
Spain took the presidency of the ICE for 2024
Letter from the Secretary of State Director of the CNI
