Dr. Christian Koch participated in the Book Talk on Arab Geopolitics in Turmoil held at NATO Headquarters on the invitation of Amb. Sorin Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General for NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division. The book launch is a result of the conference that the Gulf Research Center Foundation held with the NATO Defence College Foundation in February 2016 in Rome. In addition to Dr. Koch’s remarks, Nicola de Santis , Head of the Middle East and North Africa Division at NATO’s Political Affairs and Security Policy Division and Prof. Alessandro Politi, Director of the NATO Defence College Foundation also spoke. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Deniz Beten of NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Division. The book with the individual contributions to the February conference is available on the GRC and the NATO Defence College Foundation website for a free download.
Dr. Christian Koch, Director of the GRC Foundation met with Dr. Ioannis Loukas, General Director for Middle East and North Africa Business Strategies and Politics of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems International Qatar, at the GRC office in Geneva. They discussed cooperation between the two institutions as well as developments in the region.
Dr. Christian Koch participated in a discussion with Dr. Saad Bin Tiflah Al-Ajmi, former Kuwaiti Minister of Information, held at the Konrad-Adenuer-Foundation in Berlin, Germany. Dr. Al-Ajmi spoke about “Secularism or Failure – The Future of the Middle East” with Dr. Koch providing some comments followed by a general discussion. The event was sponsored by the German-Arab Friendship Society.
Dr. Christian Koch gave a lecture to the 17th New Issues in Security Course (NISC) held at the Geneva Center for Security Policy on "The Gulf States and Iran: What Future?". The presentation was part of a focus on “State Building and Transition in the Middle East and North Africa” held in the course which featured 24 participants. The lecture was followed by an open discussion and question and answer period.
Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, Program Manager – GRC Environmental Security and Sustainability Program, participated in the Second United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 2), which took place at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya on 23-27 May 2016. Dr. Raouf represented the Science and Technology Major Group in various sessions and meetings attended by the current and the new Executive Director of UNEP as well as the UNEA President. The Gulf Research Center participated in the meeting in its current capacity as the Global Focal Point of the Science and Technology Major Group of UNEP.
Dr. Christian Koch met with H.E. Dr. Awwad Alawwad, Ambassdor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Germany, in Berlin. In their meeting, they discussed the status of relations between Germany and Saudi Arabia as well cooperation between the Embassy and the Gulf Research Center. Dr. Koch informed the Ambassador of the activities of the GRC and provided an overview of the GRC’s objectives and future plans.
