News & Highlights

President of Romania opens Wilton Park conference in Bucharest
Does the January 2008 EU Commission Energy Security and Climate Change Action Plan suggest a viable way forward for increasing energy security and reducing carbon emissions? How can the 2020 renewable energy targets be met? How are developments in the Black Sea Region impacting upon the region's growing importance as an energy transit route from Central Asia and the Middle East to the EU? How can the Black Sea synergy be used to enhance energy co-operation? How will energy supply from Russia develop? How are political dynamics affecting the location of proposed pipelines?

Foundations for international development
How can private funders achieve maximum impact for development? In a ground-breaking departure, Wilton Park convened its first conference on development funding by trusts, foundations and philanthropists. Participants from Uganda to the USA, Ireland to Indonesia discussed the issues in an intense 48-hour conference.

Delivering healthcare to the poorest - the private sector can play a significant role
If progress towards the UN Millennium Development goals in health is to be made in low income countries a quantum shift is needed in the delivery of healthcare. This will need a significant strengthening of health systems from primary through to tertiary level. Governments in low-income countries cannot do this alone, or even with donor support. Wilton Park’s conference on “Public Private Investment Partnerships in health systems strengthening” explored the current role the private sector is playing in health delivery in some developing countries. Their involvement is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades.

Jim Murphy addresses Wilton Park Conference in Istanbul
At the second Wilton Park conference in Istanbul entitled "Turkey's Accession Process to the European Union" , Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Europe, Jim Murphy, stated "The EU must send a clear message that if Turkey meets the high standards of membership, it will join the European Union".

Prospects and challenges for Pakistan's new government
As Pakistan’s new federal government takes shape in Islamabad, former government ministers, politicians, opinion leaders, analysts and civil society representatives from Pakistan gathered at Wilton Park to discuss future policy options with counterparts from other parts of the world. Participants discussed how to strengthen democratic institutions in Pakistan, how to promote stability in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), countering terrorism and addressing corruption.

Indonesia rising? Indonesia’s prospects and challenges reviewed
Dr Hassan Wirajuda, Indonesia's Foreign Minister since 2001, opened Wilton Park's conference on political and economic prospects in Indonesia on Monday 3 March, together with Meg Munn, MP, the UK's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Indonesia.

Ukraine builds on WTO accession
Ukraine is seeking to push ahead on an ambitious programme of internal reform while strengthening ties with multilateral organisations, such as the EU and NATO, but internal instability threatens the process.

A spirit of optimism for the Caribbean in 2020
A spirit of optimism for the Caribbean in 2020 was voiced by those participating at the conference recognising that a generational change is taking place in the region. This optimism was tempered, however, by a recognition of the urgency which is needed to address the huge vulnerabilities which the region faces as a result of climate change, to encourage greater governance and to work towards greater integration of the wider Caribbean region.

Civil-Military Co-ordination in Complex Humanitarian Situations
Maintaining the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality is becoming more difficult for humanitarian organisations in conflict zones, especially if they need to rely on peacekeeping forces to help protect those they are assisting. Experts and representatives from the humanitarian community and the military met to discuss the changing nature of humanitarian assistance. The military will increasingly be partners for humanitarians whether as peacekeepers, or in some form of integrated mission as in Afghanistan. Practical ways need to be further developed to ensure that those affected are provided with humanitarian support.

Macedonia's MPs in intense discussions at Wilton Park
26 MPs from Macedonia, including the President of the Assembly, have taken part in a special conference, finishing on January 26, which is aimed at assisting Macedonia’s preparations for EU accession. They took part in 4 days of intensive discussions on agreeing ways of improving the work of the Parliament The follow-up work will be continuing in Skopje. The event is supported by the European Commission, the British and Dutch Governments, and by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

European Development Policy: Aid Effectiveness And Key Priorities
Policymakers from the EU and developing countries, together with non governmental organisations and academics, met from 21-24 January at Wilton Park for a strategic and creative dialogue on the effectiveness of European development policy. With input from the Department for International Development and the European Centre for Development Policy Management, the group discussed Europe's development agenda and potential reforms. The group considered ways to improve aid effectiveness in preparation for the Paris commitment review meeting in Accra in September: the closing session was led by the Ghanaian Finance Minister.

Strengthening the implementation of universal human rights
Diplomats, United Nations officials and civil society representatives, including academics and non-governmental organizations, from around the globe met between 17 and 19 January 2008 at Wilton Park to discuss how the UN’s primary human rights body, the Human Rights Council, should aim to strengthen human rights protection for people throughout the world.

Diasporas and their increasing political and economic influence make them an important force for change in an increasingly globalised world.
Political experts, diplomats and business leaders met to discuss the current and future roles of diasporas and their growing political and economic significance particularly in Africa and Asia. Diaspora communities are an increasingly important part of the debate about national identity. Discussions included the often complex relationship of diasporas with home and host countries and the increasing mobility of job skills.

Conflict prevention and development in Africa – the need for a human security approach
Re-examining the current policy consensus of donors has become urgent to address effectively the abject poverty and chronic insecurity in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. This is a region where the share of people living in absolute poverty is rising; where aid dependency is high; where 32 of the region’s 47 countries have experienced an armed conflict since 1980; and where low intensity conflict is rampant. Since the end of the cold war, the number of major violent conflicts has declined (both globally and in Africa). But armed violence is on the increase and the risk of recurrence of major conflicts remains high. This is because, following a peace agreement; the fundamental claims of belligerents are rarely settled and, more often than not, the structural antecedents of war remain in place.

Polar Regions: Challenges and Possibilities
The evidence is now overwhelming; climate change is happening faster in the Polar Regions than anywhere else on earth. The International Polar Year (IPY), launched in March 2007, provides an opportunity to focus an unprecedented level of attention on the science of the Polar Regions. With this in mind, the Wilton Park Conference - Polar Regions: Challenges and Possibilities presented a unique and timely opportunity to discuss key issues facing the Polar Regions and to help articulate the science and policy agenda for the future.

What are future priorities for the United Nations?
In an increasingly complex and globalized world, can the UN take on all the demands made of it? Where should its priorities lie?

Climate and Energy Security - Towards a Low Carbon Economy
This annual Wilton Park conference, organised in partnership with the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), highlighted the need for greater urgency in moving towards a low carbon economy. “Look into the eyes of a climate scientist today”, said one participant, “and you will see the signs of incipient panic”. The challenges are not insurmountable, but will need a “re-wiring” of the global economy over the next fifty years. Current action to reduce carbon emissions varies globally. The conference heard about innovative action being taken at national and local levels from China to California to increase energy efficiencies and develop renewable energy. Carbon capture and storage was also a key theme in discussions. Voluntary measures do not work fast enough and m

European Approach to Democracy Promotion
Democracy promotion has become a key issue in the international policy debate. In the light of the recent international experience in the Mid East, what is the future of democracy promotion? Does the ongoing debate on good governance have a cross-over with the debate on democracy assistance? Does Europe need to think through its democracy assistance strategies?

Join the Wilton Park International Association
All participants at our conferences are invited to join our international association....