Brazilian and foreign specialists meet this Monday, March 21, in Ottawa, to discuss the role of Brazil in the international peace and security.

The event is promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Relations and International Trade of Canada.

According to the political counselor of the Embassy of Canada in Brasilia, Michael Harvey, the Canadian public servants have great interest in understanding the position of Brazil in the international forums of peace and security.

According to him, "the growing role that Brazil fulfills in the international system makes essential, for the formulators of policies of peace and security in Canada, a better understanding of the international impact of Brazil, as well as of the factors and of the interests that influence the Brazilian positioning".

The lecturers will discuss themes as the maintenance and construction of the peace, humanitarian aid, solutions to situations of humanitarian emergence, maritime security, non-nuclear proliferation, and architecture of the global government, among others.

“Brazil’s Evolving Security Identity: Regionalism and Global Aspirations”

9h30 - Opening Remarks

Nadia Burger, Director, Defence and Security Relations Division

Weldon Epp, Director, Policy Research Division (Co-Moderator)

9h45 - Panel 1/Colloque 1      

Brazil’s Security Identity in the Americas

Discussion Questions:

1. What are Brazil’s regional and sub-regional security interests and does leadership matter? Will President Rousseff’s approach to regional security issues and architecture differ from that of the Lula administration?

2. What are Brazil’s strategic interests in the “blue Amazon”?  What does Brazil perceive as threats/challenges to its strategic interests there?

3. What are the regional drivers of Brazil’s nuclear program and what are the implications for regional security?

Salvador Ghelfi Raza, Support Professor of National Security Affairs, Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Matias Spektor, Center for International Relations, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Rio de Janeiro (by Videoconference)

Jean Daudelin, Assistant Professor, The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University

Discussion

Kai Michael Kenkel (Discussant), Assistant Professor, Institute of International Relations- IRI, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUC-Rio

11h30 - Panel  2/Colloque 2

Brazil as an International Security Player on the World Stage

Discussion Questions:

1. What are Brazil’s global security interests and ‘identity’ and does leadership matter? Will President Rousseff’s approach to international security issues and architecture differ from that of the Lula administration?

2. What role can international partners play to support Brazil’s defence reforms, and to enhance its capacity to address non-traditional and out-of-area threats?

3. What is the role of public opinion in shaping Brazil’s defence doctrine and international security philosophy? To what extent will Brazilians support an expanded Brazilian out-of-area role (e.g., peacekeeping and peacebuilding)?

Luis Bitencourt, Professor of National Security Affairs, Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Kai Michael Kenkel, Assistant Professor, Institute of International Relations- IRI, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUC-Rio

Discussion

Letecia Pinheiro (Discussant), Institute of International Relations- IRI, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUC-Rio (by Videoconference)

12h55 - Working Luncheon

With remarks by Neil Reeder, Director General, Latin America and Caribbean.

With ‘Views-from-the-Field’ from Mr. Michael Harvey, Counsellor, The Embassy of Canada to Brazil.

2h25 - Panel 3/Colloque 3

Brazil’s approaches to Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Multilateral Arms Control Architecture

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the drivers of Brazil’s approach to international nuclear (and non-nuclear) non-proliferation architecture?

2. What are the implications of Brazil’s nuclear policy (e.g., stance on safeguards, its uranium enrichment program, and plans for nuclear-powered submarines) for nuclear non-proliferation?

Matias Spektor, Center for International Relations, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Rio de Janeiro (by Videoconference)

Salvador Ghelfi Raza, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Discussion

Andrew Hurrell (Discussant), Montague Burton Professor of International Relations, Balliol College, Oxford University

3h50 - Panel 4/Colloque 4

Brazil’s Strategic Investments and Relationships: South-South Relations and an expanding Global Footprint

Discussion Questions:

1. In view of the economic drivers of Brazil’s evolving global influence and approach to world affairs, what are the strategic and security-related implications, if any, of Brazil’s political and economic goals (i.e., political-economy)?

Letecia Pinheiro, Assistant Professor, Instituto de Relações Internacionais, Sao Paolo (by Videoconference)

Luis Bitencourt, Professor of National Security Affairs, Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Andrew Hurrell, Montague Burton Professor of International Relations, Balliol College, Oxford University.

Discussion

Jean Daudelin (Discussant), NPSIA, Carleton University

5h20 - Closing Remarks

John Bonar, Deputy Director, Defence and Security Relations Division