Lowy Institute

Professor Raja Mohan, Strategic Affairs Editor of the Indian Express, and one of India's most influential commentators on India's foreign and strategic policy, delivered the inaugural Australia-India Strategic Lecture on the subject of India and East Asia in Melbourne on 21 February.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a part of its Distinguished Speaker Series, the Lowy Institute for International Policy was proud to host Dr Ezzedine Choukri-Fishere, Counselor for Middle East Peace Process and Regional Security in the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. Dr Choukri-Fishere discussed Hamas' military takeover of the Gaza Strip and examined its implications for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 29 August at the Lowy Institute, Thales Chairman and CEO, Denis Ranque, in his only public speech while visiting Australia, discussed the implications for national sovereignty arising from the procurement of defence material and services from foreign-based corporations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 8 November, the Lowy Institute for International Policy co-hosted the Fiji and Vanuatu Update 2010 with the Crawford School of Economics and Governance, Australian National University. As part of the 2010 Update a distinguished panel was assembled to discuss these very challenges and to discuss Fiji’s international relations, politics and governance, in relation to Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2010 Lowy Institute Poll, 'Australia and the world: public opinion and foreign policy', was launched on 31 May by Lowy Institute Executive Director Michael Wesley, followed by an interactive discussion with panelists Stephen Loosley, Miranda Devine and Arthur Sinodinos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 13 September as part of our Distinguished Speaker Series, Mr Haruhiko Kuroda, the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Chairperson of the ADB's Board of Directors, presented a lecture to the Lowy Institute. Headquartered in Manila, the ADB is the regional multilateral financial institution tasked with reducing poverty in the Asia Pacific region. The title of Mr Kuroda's lecture was 'Economic prospects, challenges, and regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific'. He discussed the economic success of developing Asia and outline the ADB's views on regional cooperation and integration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s regular Lowy Lunch, which took place on Tuesday 24 April, was presented by Lieutenant Colonel Mark O'Neill, the Army Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy.On ANZAC Day Australians reflect upon the sacrifices made by the men and women in the service of our nation during war. The ANZAC legend was created during the First World War and subsequently reinforced during the Second World War. This has created an enduring public perception that the nature of our wars is predominately 'state on state' or 'conventional'. This paradigmatic perception has shaped public policy thinking on defence and security issues. Mark O'Neill argued that this perception is erroneous. He suggested that our participation in conventional wars is the exception rather than the norm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 23 April at the Wednesday Lunch at Lowy, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, James A. Kelly, discussed how American policy towards Asia has changed on recent years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Wednesday Lunch at Lowy on 13th February, Dr Malcolm Cook discussed the results of recent elections in South Korea and Taiwan. Malcolm analysed whether South Korean and Taiwan voters are trying to return to the past and what this might mean for Northeast Asia's two most dangerous flashpoints, the Korean peninsula and the Taiwan strait, and Australia's vital interest in Northeast Asian stability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Wednesday Lunch at Lowy on 28 November, Professor Michael Wesley, in a presentation entitled 'Planning Australia's future in Asia', examined the major challenges and great opportunities that make it essential that Australia takes seriously the task of foreign policy planning in its regional diplomacy. Professor Michael Wesley is the Director of the Griffith Asia Institute at Griffith University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.