Agenda
Three Seas Virtual Summit and Web Forum
The Three Seas Virtual Summit and Web Forum involving heads of state focused on the future of the initiative, funding of cross-border infrastructure projects and on the digitalisation of the energy and transport sector. Where the latter is concerned, Estonia showcased Smart Connectivity vision and the extensive digital experience it involves. The event was held on 19 October in Tallinn.
Monday, October 19
Opening
Speakers:
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Moderator: Gideon Rachman Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator
Presidents' virtual panel
In addition, there will be country-specific issues tackled, for example about what the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Sea regions can gain from the initiative and how the initiative strengthens Europe.
Speakers:
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Alexander Van der Bellen Federal President of the Republic of Austria
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Gitanas Nausėda President of the Republic of Lithuania
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Egils Levits President of the Republic of Latvia
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Klaus Iohannis President of Romania
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Borut Pahor President of the Republic of Slovenia
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Zuzana Čaputová President of the Slovak Republic
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Moderator: Gideon Rachman Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator
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Miloš Zeman President of the Czech Republic
Three Seas high-level discussion
We have come a long way in five years, and the Three Seas Initiative is now bearing fruit: cooperation is not only taking place at the level of heads of state, but also at the governmental level; eight countries have already joined or are in the process of joining the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund (3SIIF) created last year; and Estonia has devised a vision of how to digitalise the region’s transport and energy infrastructure and to create a platform for economic growth driven by innovation.
How do we move forward? What are the key challenges facing the initiative in its fifth year? What does it seek to accomplish in the year ahead, and beyond?
Speakers:
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Kersti Kaljulaid President of the Republic of Estonia
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Rumen Radev President of the Republic of Bulgaria
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Andrzej Duda President of the Republic of Poland
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Margrethe Vestager Executive Vice President of the European Commission
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Mark Menezes Deputy Secretary of Energy, United States Department of Energy
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Moderator: Gideon Rachman Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator
Virtual press conference
Speakers:
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Kersti Kaljulaid President of the Republic of Estonia
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Rumen Radev President of the Republic of Bulgaria
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Andrzej Duda President of the Republic of Poland
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Mark Menezes Deputy Secretary of Energy, United States Department of Energy
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Moderator: Gideon Rachman Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator
Smart Money
Europe’s higher-than-average economic growth and its politically supported ambition to significantly enhance transport, energy and digital infrastructure in the Three Seas region have the ability to draw new investments here. Perfect examples of this are the successful launch of the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s pledge to contribute up to one billion dollars to the development of the region’s infrastructure.
What are the latest developments in regard to the investment fund and what role do participating states see the investments playing?
- Opening statement
Speakers:
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Urmas Reinsalu Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
- Overview of the 3SIIF: aims, recent developments and future perspectives
Speakers:
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Beata Daszynska-Muzyczka President of the Polish State Development Bank (BGK) and Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of the 3SIIF
- Keynote: 3SIIF – operational basis, current status and fund’s activities and practical value
Speakers:
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Gavin Tait CEO of Amber Infrastructure Limited
- Panel discussion (ministerial level)
The discussion will be moderated by Urmas Reinsalu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.
Speakers:
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Urmas Reinsalu Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
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Paweł Jabłoński Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Government Plenipotentiary for the Three Seas Initiative
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Bogdan Aurescu Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania
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Edgars Rinkēvičs Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
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Péter Sztáray State Secretary for Security Policy of Hungary
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Lachezar Borisov Minister of Economy of Bulgaria
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Vilius Šapoka Minister of Finance of Lithuania
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Anže Logar Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia
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Sebastian Rogač Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia
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Keith Krach U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
Defending Democracy and Connectivity in the Cyber Sphere
Speakers:
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Keith Krach U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
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Rein Tammsaar Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Smart Connectivity
During this block, the focus will be on current trends and developments, the Smart Connectivity vision and the ways of implementing this bold approach in practice.
Speakers:
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Moderator: Üllar Jaaksoo Chief Executive and Founder of DIGITAL NATION Ltd
- Keynote: Smart Connectivity: Driving digitalization in the Three Seas region
Speakers:
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Pablo Chavez Vice President, Government Affairs & Public Policy at Google Cloud
- Introduction to Smart Connectivity concept by Estonia
Speakers:
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Kersti Kaljulaid President of the Republic of Estonia
- Expert panel
Speakers:
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Lie Junius Public Policy and Government Relations Director at Google Cloud
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Juris Pūce Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia
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Jurica Novak Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company's Central European Office
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Krista Baptista Senior Director, Center for Digital Acceleration at DAI
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Taavi Veskimägi Chairman of the Board at Elering Ltd
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Moderator: Üllar Jaaksoo Chief Executive and Founder of DIGITAL NATION Ltd
Key takeaways, wrap-up
Speakers:
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Kersti Kaljulaid President of the Republic of Estonia
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Moderator: Gideon Rachman Financial Times Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator