THE FOREIGN POLICY OF AUTHORITARIAN STATES

To defend their grip on power – and to establish a new international order – authoritarian regimes are currently strengthening their diplomatic, military, and geoeconomic ties. The creation of this global authoritarian network is a relatively new endeavor, which is why the international community has not adjusted properly. In this panel, Mr. Jraissati and Mr. Downer will discuss the situation. Jraissati will speak from his experience dealing with this problem in Venezuela. Downer from his time as Australia’s Foreign Minister.

About the Panelists:

Mr. Alexander Downer is the Executive Chair of the International School for Government at King’s College London. He is currently the Chairman of the UK think tank, Policy Exchange, and a trustee of the International Crisis Group.

Mr. Downer served as Australia’s high commissioner to the UK from 2014 until 2018. He previously held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs for Australia from 1996 to 2007. In addition, Mr. Downer spent more than 20 years representing Mayo in the Australian Parliament and served as Opposition Leader and Australian Liberal Party leader from 1994 to 1995.

Mr. Jorge Jraissati is the Director of Alumni of Students For Liberty, an international network with over 2,800 freedom activists in 117 countries. Jorge’s work is focused on establishing alumni initiatives aimed at advancing liberal democracy and economic development in several countries.

Jorge is also an economist, a researcher at IESE Business School. His work has been presented at universities like Cambridge and Harvard and published at places like Foreign Policy and Oxford University Press.