Developments and Implications of Missile Defence

On 9 December 2011 CIC Senior Fellow, W. P. S. Sidhu presented at an international seminar on "Developments and Implications of Missile Defence" held at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). The main aims of this event were to:

• Identify recent developments in missile defence initiatives;
• Assess the potential consequences of missile defence on regional and global security trends;
• Evaluate the possible impact of missile defence developments on existing and future disarmament activities, including unintended consequences; and,
• Identify key issues that policymakers should be aware of as missile defence evolves.

The seminar focused on the various international and regional projects and experiences in missile defence. Arguments were exchanged in favour and against the US project of a European Phased Adaptative Approach (EPAA) supported by NATO. For the proponents of that project, its aim is to strengthen NATO's security against the growing threat of ballistic missiles, while for its main opponent, Russia, it may affect global strategic stability and encourage a new arms race. Because of the relationship between offensive and defensive weapons, more discussions between Russia and NATO were called for in order to restore mutual confidence, and more negotiations were considered necessary to address not only weapons of mass destruction but also their means of delivery as well as their outer space dimensions. The stabilizing and potentially destabilizing impact of missile defence was also considered in the context of South Asia, North East Asia, and the Middle East and it was noted that the experience of missiles and missile defence in these regions had the same dynamic as between Russia and the US. Given this connection between the regional and the global it was argued that the issue of missile defence would have be addressed in a comprehensive manner and not only at the regional level.

This event was organised by the GCSP with the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and brought together 53 participants including senior governmental officials, experts on the topic, representatives of international organisations, and Geneva's diplomatic community.

Development Cooperation and Emerging Economies
November 2011

As witnessed by the inclusive outcome of the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held this week in Busan, the need for a new development paradigm is already in the making; yet challenges remain in defining this new paradigm. In the lead-up to Busan, CIC, together with Indian think-tank RISDC, held a seminar in New Delhi to discuss current challenges and future possibilities for development.

The traditional development paradigm, based on the principles of OECD-DAC assistance, has become obsolete in the face of new actors, the increased empowerment of individuals and the private sector, and changing technologies. On November 9th, 2011, CIC, in partnership with Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RISDC), an autonomous think-tank under the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, brought together new and old actors to discuss current challenges and future possiblities for development. The seminar, Development Cooperation and Emerging Economies, took place in New Delhi on the eve of the fourth high level forum on aid effectiveness in Busan, scheduled for November 29-December 1.

The seminar, attended by senior aid officials from traditional donor countries (notably the UK and the USA) as well as emerging economies (notably India and China), deliberated on the areas of convergence and divergence between the old and new actors in providing development assistance.

In this context, the experience of emerging economies both as recipients and donors, as well as their aversion to the traditional donor-client relationship, raised the prospects of developing a new paradigm for development assistance, based on broader global reach. One indication of this commitment is the impending establishment of the Indian Development and Partnership Agency (IDPA), which also seeks to not only institutionalise India's approach to development partnership but also to measure its aid effectiveness. Similarly, while China's Foreign Aid White Paper was welcomed, it was felt that the paper could also have reflected on the amount of aid being dispensed and the recipients, so as to enhance transparency.

There was broad consensus that the experience and role of India, China and other emerging economies was crucial to enhancing aid effectiveness. However, there was also recognition that the present international aid architecture, notably the OECD-DAC, was inadequate for engaging the emerging powers. This was partly on account of the politics behind the creation of DAC. Most participants agreed that the Busan high-level forum would probably be the last of the kind and that new mechanisms would have to be developed to provide a platform for DAC and non-DAC countries. One suggestion discussed was to build on the India and China initiated UN Development Cooperation Forum (UNDCF), particularly its focus on South-South and triangular cooperation. Another idea was to explore the G-20 architecture as a possible platform for further interaction. The seminar was part of CIC's project on Engagement on Development and Security: New Actors, New Debates, generously supported by the governments of Canada and Sweden.