Conference: Maritime geopolitical stakes from the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pacific from yesterday to nowadays
Date:
Monday 22 January 2024
Time:
2:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Venue:
Zayed Theatre, SUAD Campus
With the exceptional presence of two former Chiefs of Staff of the French Navy – Admirals Alain Oudot de Dainville and Christophe Prazuck – the conference will focus on geopolitical and maritime security issues, from the Indian Ocean to the Indo-Pacific. The geopolitical shift from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific since the 1980s and its strategic importance related to emerging regional powers like the UAE, India as well as the emergence of China’s maritime diplomacy through the New Silk Roads, shows this conference is held in the right place and in the right time! Breaking international news reveals how crucial maritime geopolitics of States are in such an environment. Indeed, over the past decade the Indo-Pacific concept has emerged to delineate a two-ocean strategic system that is less centered on China. A concept used by leaders from Japan, India, Australia, the United States, and Europe, keen on realigning their strategies within this significant maritime region. The intensifying rivalries among powers in the Indo-Pacific herald the emergence of a potentially conflict-ridden oceanic area in Asia. Guest speakers will therefore explore various perspectives to provide insights into the geopolitical, diplomatic, and international security issues linked to this area.
About the speakers
Admiral (2S) Alain Oudot de Dainville was Chief of Staff of the French Navy from 2005 to 2008. From 1993 to 1995 was the Commander of aircraft carrier Clemenceau and from 1987 to 1988 the Frigate Victor Schoelcher. Admiral Oudot de Dainville was honored Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur, Grand Croix Commander of the Ordre National du Mérite.
Admiral (2S) Christophe Prazuck is the current Director of the Ocean Institute at Sorbonne University Alliance in Paris. He was Chief of the French Navy from 2016 to 2020, from 2012 to 2016 Vice-admiral and HR director for the French navy and Rear-admiral chief of the French naval special forces in Lorient from 2010 to 2012. Admiral Christophe Prazuck has a Ph.D. in physical oceanography from the NPGS in Monterey (USA).
Prof. Frédéric Charillon is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Université Paris Cité, Scientific Coordinator for international issues at ENA (National School of Administration) and Senior Adviser for defence and diplomatic issues at ESSEC Business School. From 2002-2009 Pr. Charillon was Chargé de mission for political science and international relations in Ministry of Research, in 2003 joined the Ministry of Defence as Director for Centre for Social Sciences in Defence and from 2009 until 2015 was appointed Director of Institute of Strategic Research Ecole Militaire.
His Excellency Eric Danon is a graduate of École Normale Supérieure de Saint-Cloud (1977-1982) and holds a degree (Agrégation) in Physics (1980). He is also a graduate of Sciences Po Paris (1983) and of the École Nationale d’Administration (1984-1986). M. Eric Danon has 27 year professional career in diplomacy, from 2019 to 2023 was the Ambassador of France to Israel, from 2016-2019 acted as Deputy Director General for Political and Security Affairs, and Diplomatic Advisor to Interpol from 2011 to 2012. M. Eric Danon was nominated in 2023 Doctor Honoris Causa from Netanya Academic College, he was awarded Knight of the Legion of Honor in 2019 and he received the National Order of Merit in 2010
Dr. Thierry Garcin is a specialist in Political Science, Associate Researcher at Université Paris Cité, Associate member at University of Quebec in Montreal (Université du Québec à Montréal), Senior Lecturer at HEC, School for Advanced Business Studies (École des hautes études commerciales), Researcher at HEC Paris Center for Geopolitics. From 1993 to 2005 was Senior Lecturer at Institute of Political Studies (Institut d’études politiques), Sciences Po Paris, from 2004 to 2007 Seminar Director at War College (Collège interarmées de défense) in Paris. Dr. Garcin is also a former Auditor at National Defense Institute for Higher Studies (Institut des hautes études de défense nationale). From 2002 to 2011 acted as Member of Jury in charge of the “Competitive Examinations” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Admiral (2S) Stanislas de la Motte joined the French Naval Academy in 1983. He attended the High Military Studies Course from September 2010 to June 2011. He was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the French Navy from December 2018 to August 2022 and promoted to Vice-Admiral on the 24th December 2018. He has been General Inspector of the Armed Forces – Navy since 1st August 2022 date of his promotion as Admiral, to the 1st of July 2023. Retired at this date, he joined Naval Group as naval advisor of the society.
Vice admiral Emmanuel Slaars is a graduate of the engineering university Arts & Metiers, Emmanuel Slaars joined the Navy in 1993. Of the last 28 years, 18 have been dedicated solely to operations aboard warships, representing more than 8 full years at sea. During his career, he sailed on multiple warships, leading to an expertise in the carrier strike groups operations. Recruited on graduate, he joined the Navy officers’ training school aboard helicopter carrier JEANNE D’ARC and he specialized in above water warfare. He served notably on the destroyer DUQUESNE, before being assigned to nuclear submarine.… On 2014, Captain Slaars took command of the air defence destroyer CHEVALIER PAUL. Auditor of the Centre des Hautes Etudes Militaires (CHEM) he was appointed to the Joint Staff in 2017 with the responsibility of leading the development of combat capabilities in the aeromaritime domain and further in the three services. He contributed to the work of the 2019- 2025 military programming law.
Promoted to Rear-Admiral in June 2021, he is designated Deputy Commander of the French Aeromaritime Reaction Force (FRMARFOR) and joined Rota (Spain) to act as Deputy of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA operation.
In August 2022, he is appointed to Abu Dhabi (UAE) as Joint Commander of the French Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean, Joint Commander of the French Forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates and European maritime awareness Strait of Hormuz Operation Commander (EMASOH OPCDR). He was promoted Vice admiral in April 2023.
Moderators
Dr.Yann Rodier Associate Professor and Ph.D. in History, heads the History Department at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. He has coordinated with the Ecole Navale in Brest the implementation of a maritime training program at SUAD – Advanced Strategic Maritime Course – as part of Franco-Emirati cooperation. As an associated member of the Alidade research group in the Indian Ocean from 2019 to 2021 in the United Arab Emirates, he focused on the history of straits in the modern era. The proceedings of this seminar were published by the CESM in an issue of Etudes Marines in May 2021. In a course dedicated to Europe and the East Indies in the early modern period, he explores the connected history of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans during the era of European rivalries.
Dr.Derek El Zein is an Associate Professor at the Department of Law, Economics and Management at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. He is a researcher in political science, international law, and geopolitics. With a background as a lawyer before the Paris Bar for over 20 years, Dr. El Zein has also actively contributed to the field through his research in international relations. His research is specifically focused on the exploration of crucial regional and international issues within the Arab world.
The first panel of the conference will be delivered in French with simultaneous English translation. The second panel will be delivered in English.
Kindly note that this event will be photographed and videographed
