Bucharest Forum 2014
2-4 October 2014
The Palace of the Parliament
The Bucharest Forum is a landmark economic and political event jointly organized by the Aspen
Institute Romania and the German Marshal Fund of the United States in partnership with the
Government of Romania. Partners, supporters and sponsors of Bucharest Forum include all the relevant
industry and business sector representative organizations in Romania: the American Chamber of
Commerce, the Businessmen’ Association of Romania and the Foreign Investors Council. Its
international partners include the New York Forum and international media institutions.
Romania’s region is the Eurasian gateway to the New Silk Road. If the right vision is in place, the
economic and strategic benefits of a cooperative approach to its development are manifold. Equally
complex are the challenges. Bucharest Forum is the largest international gathering dedicated to explore
and advance the main public and private actors’ thinking and action in this respect.
The Forum’s mission is twofold: to create in Bucharest a regional platform for forward thinking
economic policy and political dialogue for governments and business, and in particular with regards
to EU-US perspectives for Eurasia and the New Silk Road; and to serve as an influential dialogue
platform between the Romanian business sector and political decision makers in order to strengthen the
country’s economic governance and competitiveness as well as its contribution to the region.
The Forum’s main intellectual thrust is shaping a conversation of decision makers on making a New
Silk Road a part of the economic and political solutions for long-term security and stability in
Eurasia. The Black Sea region is Eurasia’s hinge. A joint EU-US perspective that includes economic,
investment and political aspects, the region offers conditions for significant returns. At the same time,
the opportunity of a functional, effective east-west gateway in the region would offer countries all across
the New Silk Road
The 2013 edition has brought to Bucharest high-level government and business representatives from the
countries along the historical Silk Road as well as relevant institutions in Europe, US and Asia. The
2014 edition of the Bucharest Forum will be a large scale, trans-regional event building on the success
and relevant work of its prior editions. Its objective is to contribute to the synchronization of EU and US
perspectives and policies with regards the East West corridor linking Europe and Asia. The concept calls
for a logic of a “joint pivot” to Asia. This is today a bold but yet to be substantiated idea. The joint logic
of TTIP negotiations and Europe’s own Association and Free Trade Agreements with the countries in
this region can be used as a blueprint.
Bucharest Forum 2014 Main Themes and Agenda
Context
The main objective of the Bucharest Forum is to shape the economic and strategic role of this
region connecting Europe, Asia and the Levant. We see the New Silk Road concept - in its broader
understating – as a key to Eurasia’s long-term economic and political stability and an important
tool for making the region’s geography pay dividends.
With a number of very complex processes taking place across the neighboring regions and with
fundamental shifts possible. Despite incredible challenges peace and stability can be achieved if all
parties and in particular the EU, and US works on a common vision that can operate as a
convening force for its regional partners like Russia, the Gulf states, Turkey, China as well as the
countries of the Greater Middle East. This vision requires an almost unprecedented degree of USEuropean coordination. This would provide other partners in the region with a clear perspective for
cooperation and avoid the tendency to zero sum games or old time power games. But this calls for
a renewed leadership for transatlantic cooperation.
From the perspective of Romania, Bucharest Forum 2014 offers the opportunity of a relevant
group of decision makers as well as influential figures to discuss the future of US-European
relationship in the extended Black Sea region. Equally, the Forum offers regional parties the
opportunity to shape this important strategic and economic debate.
In the 2014 edition we would like to take this further and look into how development, both economic
and social can serve as a stability mechanism for the region. The human dimension of this cross-regional
cooperation is taking a central role and issues like healthcare, education and women leadership are
integrated in a regional security and development logic. Aligning US, EU and regional perspectives
requires a special effort. This is the challenge for Bucharest Forum and its guests.
The main topics for Bucharest Forum:
1. Leveraging National and Regional Resources on the New Silk Road
2. Financing cross-regional infrastructure and logistics
3. East-West cooperation dynamic in the Levant and extended Middle East in a shifting context: an
activist China, the possible return of Iran and Turkey’s conundrum
4. The Silk Road’s Powerful Periphery: Japan, Korea, India
Three red threads interlocking the key topics:
1. International standards for Good Governance and Competitiveness as an instrument for regional
cooperation and alignment with global processes
2. The role of technology as process mediator and enabler for economic development, cooperation
and integration.
3. A new regional security paradigm and what it means for democratic development, reform and
regional cohesion.
Bucharest Forum 2014 Preliminary Agenda
Main Panels:
One Road for many itineraries: Competing approaches and converging interests on the New Silk
Road
Less than zero sum: Transatlantic security in Eurasia and the role of NATO post Afghanistan
An unfettered area of growth and investments: The role of free trade negotiations TTIP, US-Russia,
DCFTA with EEP countries etc.
A coherent and contiguous infrastructure for trade and manufacturing: private and public options
for investment in an infrastructure system for the New Silk Road
Fueling connections untying knots: The energy dimension of the New Silk Road
Arguments for an Oest Politik for the XXI Century: Russia's opportunity for convergence with
Europe in foreign and economic policy
The silk dragon: women leadership for Eurasian enterprises and projects
Virtual gateways to the future: arguments for a public-private investment compact on the New Silk
Road
The e-Silk Road: a shared digital space for coooeratio
A Powerful Silk Road Periphery: Japan, Korea, India: the return of developed economies in the
international dynamic
The long road of the prodigal son: the economic and strategic implication of an Iranian return to
the region’s economic and political dynamic