At EWI’s 4th Trialogue21 meeting in Brussels, experts from China, the U.S. and Europe called for the three powers to support peaceful implementation of Sudan’s 2011 referendum and help minimize possible conflict after the referendum.  Measures to minimize conflict might include the deployment of peacekeepers to act as “peace guarantors.”

In his keynote remarks at the meeting, the European Union’s Special Representative on Sudan, Ambassador Torben Brylle, stressed that it is ultimately up to the Sudanese people to implement the country’s North-South peace process under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).  National elections are scheduled for 2010, and will be followed by a referendum of self-determination by Southern Sudan in 2011.  “The international community needs to ensure that the [CPA] process does not derail,” said Ambassador Brylle.  To that end, he said, the international community – including China, the United States and the EU – should work with Sudan and its neighbors to engage all parties in constructive discussions aimed at managing possible scenarios that could arise in 2011.

Ambassador Brylle also called for a political settlement to the crisis in Darfur as a prerequisite for a longer term process of reconstruction and development.  His comments set the stage for a spirited discussion among Trialogue21 participants on how to coordinate international and regional efforts in Sudan.  Ideas explored included a more narrowly focused international policy toward Sudan and a China-U.S.-EU-Sudan joint task force to address critical areas for conflict prevention and mitigation.

These discussions were part of a two-day meeting on November 9-10, hosted by EWI’s Brussels Center in partnership with the China Institute of International Studies.  More than two dozen experts attended, including representatives from the Chinese and U.S. governments, the European Council, the Policy Planning Unit in the NATO General Secretary’s office, think tanks, universities, and the private sector.

Besides the political situation in Sudan, the Trialogue21 meeting also addressed China-U.S.-European cooperation on anti-piracy in the Gulf of Aden, clean and efficient energy, and managing the effects of climate change on global and national security.  Specific recommendations in those three areas are summarized below.  In addition, general proposals were also made for an assessment of key areas of conflict in failed and fragile states and a clear roadmap for collaboration in Africa.

Anti-Piracy in the Gulf of Aden

Participants generally agreed that the anti-piracy mission has built trust among the militaries of China, the United States, Europe, and other countries, and opened up opportunities for China-U.S.-European cooperation in other endeavors.  It was also noted that the anti-piracy efforts can be viewed as part of a larger effort to secure the global supply chain.

Policy recommendations:

• China, the United States and European countries should conduct a joint assessment of policy priorities on anti-piracy and related issues in Somalia and beyond, in order to improve communication and coordination among countries.  For example, in part as a result of the success of the multilateral efforts in the Gulf of Aden, the international community must now step up efforts to deal with the spread of piracy beyond the current patrol area to the Indian Ocean.
• The three powers and the international community should work closely with the African Union to address the political and economic problems in Somalia, such as weak governance systems and overfishing, that have led to the proliferation of piracy in the first place.
• Ship owners should be educated on preventive measures to protect themselves from pirates.

Clean and Efficient Energy

The meeting assessed ongoing efforts and opportunities for further cooperation on developing local capacities for CO2 reduction and green energy, technology transfer, and carbon capture and storage (CCS).  Such efforts are essential for the transition to a low-carbon economy and for meeting carbon reduction targets in a post-Kyoto framework to tackle climate change.

Policy recommendations:

• China-U.S.-EU tripartite mechanisms should be established at the expert group and ministerial levels to coordinate policies on clean energy and climate change.
• Developed countries should help China and other developing countries to build capacity through training in strategy formulation, policy and technical management.
• Clean energy cooperation should be accompanied by concerted public diplomacy efforts to assuage public perceptions in America about the outsourcing of jobs to China and other contentious issues in the trade relationship with China.

Climate Security

Climate change can exacerbate existing tensions and security threats such as weak institutions and resource scarcity, especially in the most fragile regions in the world.  China, the United States and Europe have a shared interest in managing these security implications through the development of early warning systems, crisis prevention, and disaster management.

Policy recommendations:

• China-U.S.-Europe cooperation could focus on water security, reforestation, joint naval exercises on disaster relief, and supporting Africa in managing the effects of climate change.  China itself is facing challenges in water security and deforestation, and could play a leading role in mediating the risks resulting from those challenges.

The 4th Trialogue21 meeting built on the first three Trialogue21 meetings in Berlin, Beijing and Washington, D.C., which addressed issues including energy security and cooperation in Africa, as well as events convened by EWI and CIIS this year, such as the 3rd U.S.-China High Level Security Dialogue and an EWI roundtable on China, the U.S. and the UN climate change talks. The outcomes of the Brussels meeting will set the stage for follow-up discussions at the next Trialogue21 meeting, scheduled in China in 2010.