International Cooperation and National Security

The National Security Council of Iceland and the Institute of International Affairs at the University of Iceland are hosting an open seminar on the importance of international cooperation for national security. The seminar will take place in Norðurljós, Harpa, Wednesday, 22 March 2023, from 13:00 -16:00.

At these times of turbulence and high tension in the security environment in the North Atlantic, international cooperation is more important than ever for Iceland's national security. In spite of NATO membership and the bilateral defense agreement with the United States, Iceland is nonetheless a small non-military state which makes it particularly reliant on international cooperation.

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The seminar will be conducted in Icelandic, however we offer simultaneous translation in English.

Further information here: https://ams.hi.is/en/

Programme

13:00 – 13:15 Opening remarks: Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland

13:15 – 14:15 International cooperation and current challenges  

Keynote Address: Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Address: Christoph Heusgen, chairman of the Munich Security Conference*

Panel Discussions: Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland and Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Hermann Örn Ingólfsson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iceland to NATO, Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir, Professor of International Affairs at the University of Iceland, Albert Jónsson, Former Ambassador of Iceland to Russia, Valur Ingimundarson, Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Iceland

Moderated by Pia Hansson, Director of Höfði Reykjavík Peace Centre

14:20-14:40 – Coffee Break  

14:40-15:45 International cooperation and Iceland's security interests

Keynote Address and moderator: Halla Hrund Logadóttir, Director-General at Iceland's National Energy Authority

Panel Discussions: Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police, Guðmundur Arnar Sigmundsson, Director of CERT-IS, Halldór Þorgeirsson, Chair of Iceland's Climate Council, Bjarni Már Magnússon, Professor of Law at Bifröst University

15:45 - 16:00 Closing remarks: Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland and Chairman of the National Security Council of Iceland