In this talk, Professor Stephen Millard discusses the outlook for the UK economy in light of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and accompanying Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast. He compares the current NIESR view as to the outlook for GDP, inflation and the labour market with the OBR’s forecast and the forecast from the Bank of England’s February Monetary Policy Report. In his remarks, Professor Millard also draws out the implications for monetary and fiscal policy moving forward.
About the Speaker:
Professor Stephen Millard is the Interim Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) in the UK and is currently part of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. Prior to joining NIESR, Stephen worked for 26 and a half years at the Bank of England. During this time, he worked in a variety of policy, research and managerial roles across the Bank's Monetary Analysis and Financial Infrastructure Directorates. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Durham University Business School and the University of Portsmouth. He holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.
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21:39
Disinformation and Democracy in a New Era: Can Reality be Rescued?
In this webinar, Nina Jankowicz discusses the evolution of disinformation in democracies, ranging from Russian-linked disinformation campaigns in Eastern Europe to the new U.S. Government’s hostile stance towards disinformation research. She discusses how the new US administration’s relationship with technology companies may affect content moderation policies and practices. Ms Jankowicz also assesses the implications of readily accessible Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for the generation of disinformation and explores how democracies can best respond to the evolving threat of disinformation.
About the speaker:
Nina Jankowicz, is the co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project, an advocacy group working to counter disinformation, and an internationally-recognised expert on disinformation and democratisation. She is the former Executive Director of the Disinformation Governance Board at the US Department of Homeland Security. Before this she was a Global Fellow at the Wilson Centre and she previously advised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on strategic communications under the auspices of a Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship. Ms Jankowicz is one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in AI and is the author of How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict.
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23:33
IIEA Insights with Dan O'Brien, Larry Donnelly,Brian Jensen, Niamh King and Fergal O’Brien 13th of March 2025
Whither Ireland-US relations?
The second term of Donald Trump has been eventful. After just weeks in office, the US president has alienated some of the most pro-American governments in Europe with his interventions in the war in Ukraine and his moves towards an accommodation with the aggressor in the conflict, Russia. He has also promised tariffs on goods from the European Union and strongly criticised EU laws and regulations being applied to American companies operating in the bloc. The next edition of IIEA insights will look at how this upheaval in transatlantic relations is affecting Ireland’s traditionally close ties with the US and how those ties might change over the next four years with Larry Donnelly, Law lecturer and columnist with the Journal.ie; Brian Jensen, retired US diplomat and former Section Chief at the US embassy in Ireland; Niamh King, Director of the Aspen Security Forum; and Fergal O’Brien, Executive Director at Ibec.
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51:44
Challenges to Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Efforts in the Current Geopolitical Context
Strengthening the full implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons necessitates a balanced implementation of all of its three pillars: nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and peaceful nuclear uses. However, the current geopolitical situation has exacerbated significant challenges in all of these three pillars. In his address to the IIEA Ambassador Klement discusses efforts to address those challenges, and reflects upon regional non-proliferation crises and his experience as a negotiator in the Iran nuclear negotiations.
Speaker bio:
Ambassador Stephan Klement is the EU Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, a position he has held since February 2024. From 2019 to 2023, Ambassador Clement served as EU Head of Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna. Since 2016, he has served as the Special Advisor for the Iranian nuclear issues in the European External Action Service (EEAS). Mr. Klement holds a Doctoral degree in International Law from the Institute of International Law and International Relations, University of Vienna. He holds a Doctoral degree in Physics from the Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Vienna, a Masters in Law and a Masters in Theoretical Physics both from the University of Vienna, Austria.
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21:35
Poverty, Prosperity and Planet Report 2024: Pathways out of the Polycrisis
The Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024 is the first global, post-pandemic assessment of the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity in a liveable planet and take stock of its progress towards achieving these goals. It highlights the stark reality that these intertwined goals are out of reach under the current levels and patterns of economic growth.
About the speaker:
Luis Felipe López-Calva is the Global Director for Poverty and Equity at the World Bank Group. He has over 30 years of professional experience working with international institutions and advising national governments. He rejoined the World Bank in 2022 from the United Nations Development Programme, where he served as UN Assistant Secretary General and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean since 2018.
It is the inaugural lecture of the 2025 Development Matters series, which is kindly sponsored by Irish Aid.
Ireland