17th

Venue: Dockside Private Room, Queens Wharf, Wellington, New Zealand

Day 1: 
9am-12pm

Opening Remarks: Prof Dr Anita  

PART I:  Strategic Forum Discussion for Ministers of Defence

Security Doctrine & Strategic Posture in a Fragmented World

Lead Strategic Discussant:  LtGen Leo Kosinski (Ret)

• How must national defense doctrines evolve in an era where gray-zone operations, disinformation, and proxy warfare increasingly precede traditional conflict?

• Can military deterrence still effectively prevent conflict in a multipolar world, or is it now a trigger for preemption?

• What are the prospects for a defense diplomacy compact — formal or informal — among Indo-Pacific and European actors to limit strategic distrust?

12pm -1pm: Lunch

1pm-4pm: 

PART II: International Parliamentary Assembly

Potential pathways to conflict resolution amidst rising militarisation, and how alliances and partnerships are evolving, especially under pressure from external powers

Questions:

• What are the key drivers of militarisation in today’s regional conflicts, and how can parliamentary diplomacy counterbalance these trends?

• How are strategic alliances such as NATO, AUKUS, or the QUAD evolving in response to changing global power balances?

• How can inter-parliamentary forums contribute to confidence-building, policy alignment, and norm-setting in a fragmented geopolitical landscape?

4pm-4.15pm: Closing Remarks

Day 2:  

9am-12pm

Opening Remarks: Prof Stephen Nagy

PART I: Royal Assembly on Geopolitical Realignments: Royal Insights on Regional Realignments
Lead Strategic Discussant: MGen Gert-Johannes Hagemann (Ret)

• Questions:

• What roles can royal leadership play in fostering transcontinental partnerships? What strategic interests drive royal involvement in such transcontinental partnerships?

• How can royal figures contribute to conflict resolution in areas experiencing power centralization and crackdowns on factions?

• How can philanthropic initiatives by royal figures contribute to strategic stability in regions lacking effective governance?What mechanisms can ensure that such efforts complement rather than complicate existing security frameworks?

  12pm-1pm:  Lunch

  1pm-4pm:

  PART II: Strategic Roundtable for Diplomats

Preventive Diplomacy and Risk Reduction
Chair: Brett Murphy

Questions:

• What diplomatic tools or protocols can states implement to prevent misunderstandings or miscalculations from escalating into conflict?

• What confidence-building measures (CBMs) can be launched or strengthened across multilateral platforms like ASEAN Regional Forum or EAS?

• How can diplomatic coordination be enhanced to reduce security dilemma dynamics in sensitive flashpoints?

Concluding Remarks

Appreciation Evening