The Missing Delegates: Opening the World Order to de facto States

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

	On Thursday 15 May 2008, UNPO will convene an important and overdue conference in the European Parliament, Brussels, entitled ‘Opening the World Order to de facto States: Limits and Potentialities of de facto States in the World Order'. Under discussion before an audience of diplomats, parliamentarians and press will be situation of unrecognised states such as Abkhazia, Somaliland and Taiwan.
(Photo credit: Sam Honda/AFP/Getty Images)

Opening the World Order to de facto States

Limits and Potentialities of de facto States in the International Context

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Thursday 15 May 2008 - 9:00am-6:30pm

Room ASP 1E2-120

European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) together with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), Nonviolent Radical Party (NRP), and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD), will hold a conference on de facto states in Brussels, Belgium in May 2008.

This event will bring together officials from unrecognized Governments with the main aim to create and sustain permanent mechanisms of involvement and consultation of unrecognized state entities in the International Community. A selected group of academics among officials, experts, and representatives of de facto states will allow the conference to address a broad range of issues with many perspectives.

The conference is a one-day event consisting of three panels precede by an opening session which will provide an introduction to the subject, as well as the aim and goals of the conference and a keynote address.

The first panel will address the international dimension of de facto states, with each speaker approaching the function and practice of de facto states under International Law and in the International Community.

Next, the second panel will approach specific issues affecting de facto states, especially concerning health care issues, economics and security. Again, the speakers will be comprised from a range of different sources, including academic, officials and political experts. Topics of interest include the challenges surrounding formal trade agreements, obtaining financial assistance from international institutions, and reducing security risks.

Finally, the third panel will address the question of Democracy and Good Governance in de facto states, and the challenges faced to preserve these ideals. This portion of the conference will focus on the complexities of maintaining human rights standards, a strong civil society, and a working level of democracy in states that are politically isolated and unrecognized.

8.15	Registration: European Parliament (Altiero Spinelli Building)
9.00 - 10.30	Introduction / Opening Session
	Words of Welcome Marino Busdachin, General Secretary, UNPO Scott Pegg, Associate Professor, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis: “International Society and the de facto State” Address by Guests of Honor Graham Watson, Member European Parliament, Chairman ALDE Group Marco Pannella, Member European Parliament, Leader of the Nonviolent Radical Party Michael Kau, Taiwan Representative in the EU and Belgium Maxim Gunjia, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Mohamoud Daar, Ambassador, Representative of the Republic of Somaliland Alexander Zaivii, Representative of the Government of the Pridnestrovien Moldavian Republic
10.30 – 13.00	Panel I -- “ De facto States in the International System”
	Provisional Panelists: Scott Pegg (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis): “Impact of de facto states on international law and the international community” Tozun Bahcheli (King's University College): “State Building without Recognition: the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” Daria Isachenko (Humboldt University): “ De facto states and their sponsors” Michael Kau (Taipei Representative Office in Brussels): “Taiwan as de facto state participation in the international community” Q & A Round
15.00 – 16.15	Panel II -- “Health, Economics and Security”
	Provisional Panelists: Emma Tania (Abkhazia National Bank): “A national bank without recognized nationality” Michael Alkan (Ben Gurion University): “Rebuilding healthcare in post-conflict areas” Mandy Turner (Bradford University): “Maintaining security and stability in the state-building process” Q & A Round
16.15 – 16.30	Break
16.30 – 18.30	Panel III - “Challenges of Good Governance for de facto States”
	Provisional Panelists: Antje Herrberg (Crisis Management Initiative): “Maintaining effective and open dialogue within a de facto state” Pål Kolsto (University of Oslo): “Sustainability and future of unrecognized states” Steve Kibble (Progressio): “Somaliland - the road to recognition and democracy” Nina Caspersen (Lancaster University): “Promoting democracy without international recognition” Q & A Round

To view a press release for the conference, please click here . (PDF format, 90kb)

For media enquiries regarding the conference, please contact the UNPO Secretariat on +32 (0) 488 684 267