Conference Reports

This section provides a record of dialogues and roundtables on major policy challenges of our time. Through these discussions, political leaders, diplomats, senior officials, academics, business leaders, scientists, and civil society representatives have exchanged perspectives on issues of global significance. As a result, the reports offer valuable insights into the ideas and policy approaches that emerged from these exchanges.

The reports cover a broad range of issues central to international affairs. In particular, they address peace and conflict, water diplomacy, regional cooperation, environmental security, emerging technologies, governance, and global order. While many reports focus on South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, they also examine wider international trends and the growing interdependence of global challenges.

Taken together, these publications synthesise the principal themes, areas of convergence, and policy recommendations arising from expert deliberations. In doing so, they provide an account of how complex issues have been understood at different points in time. Moreover, the Conference Reports document dialogues across disciplines, sectors, and regions, thereby illustrating how such exchanges have contributed to the development of practical policy responses.

For researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students, the collection serves as a valuable resource. Not only do the reports demonstrate how sustained engagement can generate new perspectives among diverse stakeholders, but they also identify opportunities for cooperation. Furthermore, they support informed decision-making in areas where conventional approaches have often proved insufficient.

Ultimately, these publications reflect the evolution of Strategic Foresight Group’s work over time. At the same time, they demonstrate the organisation’s continuing commitment to informed dialogue, independent analysis, and constructive international engagement. Beyond serving as a record of past deliberations, the Conference Reports help readers understand the ideas, partnerships, and policy initiatives that have shaped the organisation’s contribution to international peace, security, and cooperation.

High Level Roundtable on Regional Cooperation in the Middle East: Water as an Instrument of Peace

On September 26, 2016, SFG partnered with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Oxford University and the Government of Switzerland to bring together parliamentarians from Middle Eastern countries to explore prospects of using water as an instrument of peace in the region.

Blue Peace in the Middle East: Nile Basin Learning Journey in Uganda

On August 8-10, 2016, members of the Blue Peace Middle East Community embarked on a learning journey to explore and understand cooperation in the Nile River Basin in East Africa. The delegation from the Middle East included senior policy makers, academic and technical experts and leading members of the Blue Peace Media Network.
Strategic Foresight Group organized the Learning Journey to Nile River Basin in coordination with the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), headquartered in Entebbe in Uganda. Following the Learning Journey to Senegal River Basin, held in August 2015, this was a continuation of the ‘exchange of experience’ activities under the Blue Peace Initiative. This initiative is sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Women, Water and Peace Conference, March 2016

On 18-19 March 2016, Strategic Foresight Group and MEF University, with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) co-hosted a conference on Women, Water and Peace in the Middle East. The conference took place in Istanbul and brought together 50 decision makers from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The participants included Members of Parliament, former ministers, government officials, civil society activists and scholars.

Blue Peace in The Middle East High Level Forum, October 2015

About 70 policy makers, Members of Parliament, serving and former Ministers, media leaders, academics and water experts from across the Middle East came together for the High-Level Forum on Blue Peace in the Middle-East, which was held on October 8-9, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum was co-hosted by the Strategic Foresight Group and the University of Geneva in cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Human Security Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
The High Level Forum marked the continuity of the Blue Peace community which has emerged as the soft infrastructure for dialogue and a rare channel of communication between countries affected by internal and inter-state violence.

Senegal River Basin Learning Journey, August 2015

On August 9-14, 2015, members of the Blue Peace Middle East Community embarked on a learning journey to explore and understand in detail about cooperation in the Senegal River Basin in West Africa. The 20-person delegation from the Middle East included former ministers, senior policy makers, academic and technical experts and leading members of the Blue Peace Media Network.

Exploring the Water-Peace Nexus: Blue Peace in West Asia, March 2015

About 100 policy makers, Members of Parliament, serving and former Ministers, media leaders, academics, and water experts from across the Middle East and the representatives of successful transboundary water cooperation institutions from Africa participated in the International Conference on Exploring the Water-Peace Nexus: Blue Peace in West Asia held in Amman, Jordan on 18-19 March, 2015. The participants strongly emphasised high level political commitment to regional cooperation and joint management of transboundary water resources as a prerequisite for sustainable peace-building in the region.

Publications

The Essential Convergence

India’s AI Gambit: Navigating the Global Race

Framework for Responsible Use of AI in the Nuclear Domain

Latest Articles