The Diplomat
Josep Borrell, former Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, took office this Wednesday as President of CIDOB, the Barcelona-based think tank specializing in international relations.
Borrell, who was appointed by the institution’s Board of Trustees on December 13, held several meetings, the first of which was with the entire CIDOB staff, to whom he pledged to “contribute to strengthening CIDOB’s international positioning at a time of changing international order” and to “bring studies, reflection, and prospective analysis closer to policymakers, as well as to society as a whole.”
He also had the opportunity to learn more about the institution’s research team and its various lines of research. At this meeting, Josep Borrell presented his latest book, “Europe, in the Arc of Fire,” a collection of articles and reflections on the geopolitical and security challenges facing Europe, written during his final year as High Representative of the European Union.
Finally, he held his first meeting with the institution’s Board of Trustees, during which Josep Borrell spoke with the members of CIDOB’s highest governing body about the institution’s challenges and the priorities of his mandate.
In the coming days, the new president of CIDOB will attend various institutional commitments, concluding next Saturday, April 5, at the Pedralbes Palace with his first public event, during the 23rd edition of the international conference “War and Peace in the 21st Century: The Future of the Middle East: Understanding Conflict, Building Peace.”
The conference will address the causes of the conflict in the Middle East and its international dimension, analyzing how the international community can promote dialogue and provide solutions for lasting peace, and what scenarios lie ahead for the region, which is rocked by a new wave of conflict and unprecedented levels of violence.
