Events

The implications for national security are often overlooked in discussions on climate change. In the Middle East, however, regional cooperation is vital when responding to the declining availability of water and periods of prolonged drought. How do you foster cooperation in a troubled region?

Gidon Bromberg is co-founder of EcoPeace Middle East, an organisation which brings together Jordanians, Palestinians, and Israelis to advance sustainable and peaceful regional development, including in an ambitious project for the Jordan Valley. Mr Bromberg has written extensively on the relationship between water, peace, and security in the Middle East, and has presented to United Nations forums, the US Congress, and the European Parliament.

Please join us at the Lowy Institute in Sydney for the first Aus-PNG Network social evening of the year. We are pleased to be hosting a delegation of women leaders from PNG for a roundtable discussion on politics and current issues. This is a great chance to make connections with people who have an interest in the Australia-PNG relationship. Join us afterwards for drinks and a bite to eat, and the opportunity to meet and hear from members of the delegation.

Next month, 190 million Indonesians will vote for their president and parliament in one of the largest single-day elections the world has ever seen. Incumbent President Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto are facing off in a replay of the bitterly-fought 2014 campaign.

Indonesia has become a vibrant and competitive democracy. But human rights activists are worried about the government’s use of legal tools against its opponents and the exploitation of heated religious rhetoric as a campaign tool. Meanwhile, vested interests in the armed forces, bureaucracy, and established political parties are stymying much-needed reforms.

Join eminent Indonesian political expert Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar, and Director of Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia Project Ben Bland, for a discussion on the elections, the state of democracy in Indonesia, and the implications for Indonesia’s international relations.
 

The Lowy Institute is pleased to host Mr Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), for an address on ASD’s offensive cyber capabilities.
 
Mr Burgess has served as the head of ASD since 4 January 2018, becoming the first director-general of ASD on 1 July 2018. He has worked as an intelligence official, consultant, and private-sector chief information security officer. He has served on the Federal Government’s naval shipbuilding advisory board, the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network board, and as a non-executive director of SC8 Limited. Mr Burgess holds a degree in electronics engineering from the South Australian Institute of Technology.

Next month, 190 million Indonesians will vote for their president and parliament in one of the largest single-day elections the world has ever seen. Incumbent President Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto are facing off in a replay of the bitterly-fought 2014 campaign.

Indonesia has become a vibrant and competitive democracy. But human rights activists are worried about the government’s use of legal tools against its opponents and the exploitation of heated religious rhetoric as a campaign tool. Meanwhile, vested interests in the armed forces, bureaucracy, and established political parties are stymying much-needed reforms.

Join eminent Indonesian political expert Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar, and Director of Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia Project Ben Bland, for a discussion on the elections, the state of democracy in Indonesia, and the implications for Indonesia’s international relations.
 

Please join Lowy Institute Executive Director Dr Michael Fullilove for a conversation with Stephen J. Hadley about global issues.

Mr Hadley is one of the most respected foreign policy makers and scholars in Washington, DC. He served for four years as the Assistant to President George W. Bush for National Security Affairs from 2005 to 2009. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Hadley was the Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor, serving under then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. Mr. Hadley had previously served on the National Security Council staff and in the Defense Department including as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy. 
 
Mr Hadley now serves as a Principal at RiceHadleyGates LLC and as Chair of the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace.

Next month, 190 million Indonesians will vote for their president and parliament in one of the largest single-day elections the world has ever seen. Incumbent President Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto are facing off in a replay of the bitterly-fought 2014 campaign.

Indonesia has become a vibrant and competitive democracy. But human rights activists are worried about the government’s use of legal tools against its opponents and the exploitation of heated religious rhetoric as a campaign tool. Meanwhile, vested interests in the armed forces, bureaucracy, and established political parties are stymying much-needed reforms.

Join eminent Indonesian political expert Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar, and Director of Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia Project Ben Bland, for a discussion on the elections, the state of democracy in Indonesia, and the implications for Indonesia’s international relations.

The relationship between Washington and Beijing is increasingly competitive. The economic interdependence that once underwrote the relationship now undermines it. The two militaries are testing the other’s resolve in the Pacific Ocean. A new “space race” in technology – 5G, artificial intelligence, and fintech – is fuelling mistrust. Why has Washington’s view of Beijing darkened? Is the US developing a coherent strategy on China? How is Beijing responding?
 
Join Lowy Institute Senior Fellow Richard McGregor and Laura Rosenberger for a discussion on the state of relations between the two global superpowers.

Following a succession of severe conflicts that have caused massive loss of life, dislocation and grave human rights violations, the task of the human rights movement today is a daunting one. Has the international community become resigned to irresolvable conflicts and human rights atrocities? Join Philippe Bolopion, Human Rights Watch’s Deputy Director for Global Advocacy, together with ABC foreign correspondent Sophie McNeill and human rights expert and legal advocate Chris Sidoti for a discussion about the challenges of working against atrocities in countries such as Syria, Yemen, and Myanmar, and how United Nations advocacy can be effective.
 
The discussion will be moderated by Lowy Institute Director of Research, Alex Oliver.