As part of its ‘Peace, War and the World in European Security Challenges’ (POWERS) project aimed to promote scientific and evidence-based dialogue on the emerging security issues and future security scenarios in the Euro-Mediterranean region and neighboring countries based on a multidisciplinary and cooperation-oriented approach, the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan orgaised its second event held under POWERS entitled “Deglobalization and Reglobaliztion: Security Challenges and the Implications of COVID-19 in the EuroMed”.

The workshop provided an opportunity to re-assess the global and regional security priorities, in particular, new emerging threats related to health, food and cyber-security. In addition, geostrategic shifts and their security consequences were the focus of discussion. It identified the changes to global order transpired by COVID-19 pandemic, after almost two years of its emergence, considering the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological advancements utilization and the fourth industrial revolution in mounting to a desired level of outcome to overall security.

Since the start of globalization, humanity has been observing emerging areas of threat; concerning health, environment and food. The accelerated rate of economic, cultural and political interconnection, also known as the process of hyper-globalization which began in the 1990s and continues into the 21st century, largely contributed to the unprecedented scale and rate of the newly emerged Sars-Cov-2 (COVID-19) virus’ inter-continental transmission.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on global security, including on organised crime and violent extremism. Cybercrime has emerged rapidly as a risk with long-term implications for the growth of criminal markets. The threat of violent extremism is also being exacerbated. More young people are spending more time at home and online, and are thus more susceptible to online recruitment and radicalisation.

One way or another COVID-19 entered into every home, spreading not only the air-borne respiratory disease, but also mass-scale anxiety, insecurity and uncertainty.

As governments continue to flounder about effectively balancing between eliminating the virus and saving lives on one hand, while preserving the economy and security from long-term destruction on the other, health experts are anticipating a dreadful ‘twindemic’; in the event of which current challenges are likely to be further exacerbated.

Since the early stages of the outbreak, His Majesty King Abdullah II has been calling on world leaders for the need to a renewed structure of international cooperation and a redefinition to globalization, in order to enhance international and individual security.

“Threats do not come in silos, and the solutions cannot be in silos”
– His Majesty King Abdullah II

The CSS invited upon its POWERS partners and security experts of European-Mediterranean matters to discuss the fundamental notion, structure and framework of this call for ‘re-globalization’ in the context of security, given its prominence in mitigating the impact of future shocks through a recalibrated world system.

Key Topics were:

• Shifting the Dynamics of Security in the EuroMed: Exhibiting Solidarity as Mode for Survival

• Navigating the Humanitarian Crisis of COVID-19: Threat of Transnational Insecurity

• The Coronavirus Pandemic: An Impasse or an Opportunity - Lessons Learnt in the 21st Century

Including but not limited to:

Information about the event in media such social networks and Jordan University Radio — https://twitter.com/CSS_Strategic/status/1482626606380326915?t=NlIWtaMHAXgjYT8Ksmli0Q&s=08
https://www.facebook.com/109867192429647/posts/4746481112101542/
http://ujnews2.ju.edu.jo/Lists/News/Disp_FormNews1.aspx?ID=11839
https://fb.watch/aCxnl-U9Te/

• ■ Contact:
  Dr. Alakyaz Assadorian – Assistant Academic Coordinator (CSS) at Email: a.assadorian@css-jordan.org