In this episode of Focus, we attended the 12th Baku Global Forum, where over 50 world leaders and experts gathered in Azerbaijan to discuss global security, EU integration and post-conflict reconstruction amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
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00:00The potential of the forum actually is reflected in the names of the participants.
00:07We have more than 50 heads of state and government from different countries,
00:13so people with great experience, knowledge, expertise.
00:18And, of course, as we can see even from the opening session,
00:22there are just a combination of opinions, and they do not coincide, which is good.
00:28I am sure that at the panels the discussions will be even hotter.
00:33So, always forum generates ideas and is very instrumental
00:39in elaborating of new approaches to international issues.
00:51The 12th Global Baku Forum opened at Gulistan Palace in Azerbaijan to a full audience
00:56as the conference continues to grow year on year.
00:59This year's theme was rethinking world order, turning challenges into opportunities.
01:04And with geopolitics dominating headlines around the world, there was plenty to discuss.
01:10I do believe that nowadays what we are facing as a biggest challenge
01:16is that we are in crossroads of defending our values that we cherish.
01:26Freedom, democracy, human dignity, justice.
01:33It's something that we have to protect, and nowadays those values are under the test.
01:45Tested by the conflicts, tested by the immigration, tested by the war,
01:53tested by the misinformation, so we have to protect our values.
01:59President Begaj went on to discuss his hopes for Albania joining a unified EU.
02:05Albanians have 34 years dreaming and aspiring to be a European country.
02:12All the six Western Balkan countries, I think, have to have that aspiration.
02:21We strongly believe that the European Union is a project of peace, prosperity,
02:29sustainable development and security, not only for Albania but for the entire region.
02:36Speakers shared their thoughts on rebuilding for peace, post-conflict reconstruction
02:41and regional stability, something pertinent to the South Caucasus.
02:45It's important to protect the region from any crises around us.
02:51Unfortunately, the region of the South Caucasus for decades was an area of confrontation and hostility.
02:58So now we have a relatively quiet period, so we need to concentrate on that,
03:04to build security mechanisms that will be inclusive,
03:11to eliminate any threat of another military confrontation,
03:18and to try to live in neighborhoods as we used to in the times of Soviet Union.
03:25Yes, we were not independent countries. We could not actually plan our future.
03:31We were largely dependent on the Soviet center, but at least there was active interaction
03:38between the South Caucasian republics.
03:42For this region, it's very important not to be late with respect to geopolitical transformation
03:51and to concentrate on our regional problems and regional opportunities.
03:57And the challenge of stability wasn't limited to the South Caucasus.
04:01Former president of Montenegro, Milo Dukanovic, discussed the issue further afield.
04:08This is definitely a challenge for the region.
04:12And it is a permanent challenge for the Western Balkans.
04:15The fact is we have missed the opportunity in the last few decades
04:21when there was an opportunity for the Western Balkans to quickly integrate in the EU,
04:26secure its stability, and define a democratic perspective.
04:33This is the challenge for political decision-makers in the Western Balkans.
04:37But in my opinion, it's about the future of Europe in the new geopolitical context.
04:42The forum drew to a close after three days of successful interaction and debate,
04:47with a general consensus that it continues to foster a deeper understanding
04:52of today's global challenges and potential solutions moving forwards.