GLOBE Lecture: Javier Solana - 'Geopolitics and Global Governance in Times of Crisis'

Javier Solana joined the GLOBE series with a lecture on 'Geopolitics and Global Governance in Times of Crisis'. Prof. Dr. Angel Saz-Carranza (ESADEgeo Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics) served as moderator. A Q&A with the audience followed the lecture.

About the Lecture

The war in Ukraine is reshaping the geopolitical landscape. Since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – and as Putin’s failure became more apparent in the first months of the invasion – the main geopolitical actors have developed diverging responses to Russia’s aggression of Ukraine. Whereas NATO and the EU have shown resolve and unity in confronting Russia’s actions, other important players - such as China, India and countries from the Global South - have adopted a more ambivalent stance.

The Russian war against Ukraine and its fallout have also affected the global economy, which will have an important impact in the international community’s ability to tackle the world’s most pressing global challenges for the 21st century, such as climate change, global health and inequality. As the century unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the multilateral organizations that sustain global governance, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization, will be able to manage the increasing pressure on the provision of global public goods.

In this high-level lecture, Mr. Javier Solana assessed the significance of the Russian war against Ukraine for geopolitics and global governance.

About the Speakers

Javier Solana is the President of ESADEgeo Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics (Barcelona-Madrid). In addition, he is Chairman of the Royal Board of Trustees of the Prado Museum, as well as Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the La Caixa Foundation. He is also a Distinguished Fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution and President of the Aspen Institute, Spain. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the European Council on Foreign Relations (London, Berlin), the International Advisory Council of the Council on Foreign Relations (New York) and the Munich Security Conference. He was Secretary General of NATO from 1995 to 1999 and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union from 1999 to 2009. Previously, he held several ministerial positions in the Spanish government, including Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Angel Saz-Carranza is Director of ESADEgeo Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics as well as Associate Professor of the Department of Strategy and General Management and Visiting Professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.