Speaking at the 12th Global Baku Forum, the former President of the European Council, Charles Michel warned that a potential trade war could stem from events originating in the White House but Europe must remain focused on further strengthening its economy. He also highlighted that the US plays an important role in Europe's security and that more investment should be made in institutional development. The Global Baku Forum is organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center under the patronage of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
In his intervention, Michel discussed the history of the EU, emphasizing that Brussels has always placed serious importance on establishing relationships: "If we are going down one path, we need to know that there are interests there and consider that there is no turning back from those interests. Industrial capabilities in Europe should be given to the authority of partners. We should be united as Europe", he said.
Charles Michel also stated that European countries should also establish strong relationships with countries outside the union: "Relations with Africa, Latin America, and Asia need to be expanded. This would contribute to both the economy and security. The role of regional organizations will increase even more in the future, and we should also strengthen our relationship with them."
Charles Michel was speaking during a panel on "Geopolitical Shifts: Responsible Partnerships versus Rivalry" that was moderated by former Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia Eka Tkeshelashvili. Michel, who also served as Prime Minister of Belgium, said that that the start of his term as President of the European Council coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which presented significant challenges. "At that time, decision-making was difficult, and we focused on ensuring the timely delivery of vaccines. Later, the Russia-Ukraine war began, and our priority was to assist Ukraine, demonstrating our commitment to supporting a multipolar world. Unity is our strength because it concerns our future," he stated.
Discussions at the Forum focus on key global issues, including geopolitical shifts, multilateralism, the global health crisis, recovery and regional stability and COP29. The forum aims to bring together over 300 world leaders from more than 60 countries, including more than 25 former presidents, over 15 former prime ministers, around 10 UN and international agency heads, and over 25 former ministers and deputy ministers.
The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the Forum and in his speech described the Global Baku Forum as one of the leading international platforms for addressing important issues of the global agenda.
