GlobalNeighbourstakesEurope–AsiadialoguebeyondtheconferenceroomatEFA26

ALPBACH, AUSTRIA — Global Neighbours, an Advanced Partner of the European Forum Alpbach 2026, convened the hike “Converging Crises, Shared Responses: Can Europe and Asia Find Common Ground?” on 3 September in Alpbach. The nearly three-hour walking session brought together perspectives from Europe, Asia, Africa and Central Asia to explore how practical cooperation can endure amid geopolitical tension, climate risk, technological rivalry and economic fragmentation

Speakers and participants gather during the Global Neighbours hike at the European Forum Alpbach 2026.

Dialogue on the move

Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, Chief Executive Officer of Global Neighbours, moderated the discussion. The speakers were Ms. Jovanka Porsche, Founder and Chairwoman of Global Neighbours; Dr. Philipp Rösler, Chief Executive Officer of Consessor AG, Secretary-General of Global Neighbours and former Vice-Chancellor of Germany; H.E. Mr. Vladimir Norov, Chairman of the Central Asian Association for AI and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and Mr. Gyude Moore, Distinguished Fellow at The Energy Growth Hub and former Minister of Public Works of Liberia.

From left: Speaker H.E. Mr. Vladimir Norov, Mr. Gyude Moore, Ms. Jovanka Porsche, Dr. Philipp Rösler and moderator Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee.

Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee and participants continue their conversation while walking through the Alpine landscape.

Beginning near the Böglerhof and continuing along the Böglerwiese trail, the group paused at intervals for moderated exchanges before resuming the walk. Students, young professionals and participants from varied national and professional backgrounds joined throughout. The walking format was central to the engagement. Moving together through nature softened the distinction between speakers and audience, allowing conversations to continue informally between the scheduled stops. Against the surrounding mountain landscape, participants were able to test ideas, disagree respectfully and return repeatedly to the question at the heart of the session: where can cooperation still begin?

Ms. Jovanka Porsche leads participants along the Böglerwiese trail in Alpbach.

Ms. Jovanka Porsche: Turning ambitious ideas into action

Ms. Jovanka Porsche, Founder and Chairwoman of Global Neighbours, shares the organisation’s founding story and its approach as a “think-and-do tank.”

Ms. Porsche shared the founding story of Global Neighbours, explaining that it was created not only as a platform for dialogue, but as a “think-and-do tank” that turns ideas into practical initiatives. She encouraged participants not to allow skepticism to become a reason for inaction: meaningful ideas can only be tested by attempting them, and setbacks often provide valuable lessons. With conviction and persistence, she added, even an ambitious vision can attract people willing to contribute their expertise, encouragement and resources—and ultimately grow into collective action.

She pointed to Global Neighbours’ Tracks to the Future initiative as a practical example. When the idea of a dialogue journey by rail from Europe through Central Asia to China was first discussed, questions about different railway gauges, border procedures and operational complexity led many to doubt whether it could happen. By continuing to work through those constraints, Global Neighbours moved the initiative from an ambitious proposal towards implementation.

Returning to the value of open exchange, Porsche urged participants not to withdraw when they encounter an opinion they dislike. Progress requires people to remain in the conversation, state their own position and engage directly across disagreement.

Mr. Gyude Moore: Africa as a platform for cooperation

Mr. Gyude Moore discusses how European and Asian strengths can complement one another in supporting Africa’s development priorities.

Mr. Moore offered a concrete example from post-conflict Liberia to illustrate how European and Asian strengths can work together. The European Union provided financing for essential infrastructure and opened the project to competitive bidding. A Chinese company won the contract on price, enabling Liberia to obtain more infrastructure from the available funding, while a European supervising engineer helped ensure that quality standards were maintained. For Mr. Moore, the experience showed that European finance and standards can complement the speed and cost competitiveness of Asian delivery.

He then addressed the growing competition surrounding critical minerals, renewable-energy supply chains and the digital economy. African governments, he said, increasingly want to process resources locally and retain more value rather than remain exporters of unprocessed materials. Chinese companies have often shown greater willingness to build productive capacity in Africa, while Europe brings important strengths in environmental safeguards, engineering and oversight. Combining these capabilities could produce more durable partnerships.

Mr. Moore stressed that African countries do not want to be treated as arenas in which larger powers compete for influence. They seek the freedom to work with Europe, China, the United States, the Gulf states and other partners according to their own development priorities. A prosperous Africa, he noted, is in Europe’s direct interest, making cooperation on infrastructure, energy, climate resilience and local industrial capacity a practical rather than ideological choice.

H.E. Vladimir Norov: Central Asia’s practice of dialogue and diversification

H.E. Mr. Vladimir Norov reflects on Central Asia’s experience of regional cooperation, multi-vector diplomacy and technological governance.

Mr. Norov placed Central Asia’s present role within its longer history as a crossroads of trade, knowledge and culture along the Silk Road. He referred to the region’s contributions to science and learning, as well as its contemporary importance through energy resources, critical minerals and overland connectivity. After decades in which many external relationships were channelled through Moscow, Central Asian states have spent the years since independence diversifying their economic and diplomatic ties.

He highlighted the region’s progress in resolving border, water and energy questions through dialogue and what he described as reasonable compromise. Regular consultation among the five Central Asian states has helped strengthen regional cooperation without creating a supranational structure. Mr. Norov compared this pragmatic approach more closely to ASEAN than to the European Union: each country retains its own position while working jointly on shared problems.

Mr. Norov also explained why artificial-intelligence governance has become a diplomatic priority. Technological development is moving faster than international institutions and law, while competition between major powers risks pressuring smaller countries to choose one technological bloc. Central Asia’s multi-vector approach instead seeks cooperation with the United States, China, Europe, Japan, South Korea and others. Shared governance frameworks, data sovereignty and responsible development of energy and computing infrastructure will therefore be central to the region’s next phase.

Dr. Philipp Rösler: Fair competition and active engagement

Dr. Philipp Rösler speaks about fair competition, open markets and the importance of sustained European engagement with Asia.

Dr. Rösler argued that business, supply chains and society remain globally intertwined even as politics moves towards blocs and separation. Europe should respond actively by deepening engagement with China, India, Central Asia, Africa and ASEAN, rather than waiting for older alignments to return. Economic and social interdependence, he said, makes Europe–Asia cooperation a necessity rather than an optional diplomatic exercise.

He drew a distinction between fair competition and language that frames every counterpart as an enemy. Open markets and free trade still involve competition, but they should operate through shared and enforceable rules. Where competition is unfair, Rösler favoured strengthening institutions and pressing for compliance instead of abandoning engagement or attempting to shut markets entirely. Global fragmentation, he warned, would ultimately reduce prosperity well beyond Europe.

Rösler also emphasised the manner in which relationships are built. Effective engagement begins with curiosity and with a willingness to listen and learn, not with the assumption that one side has arrived to teach the other. He noted that internationally active businesses often recognise the practical costs of political fragmentation because their operations already depend on cross-border cooperation.

Participants extend the conversation

Participants from diverse national, generational and professional backgrounds contribute questions and perspectives throughout the hike.

Coming from different countries, generations and professional backgrounds, participants brought strikingly diverse questions to the trail: the future of Europe–Asia cooperation and Europe–China relations; climate change and renewable-energy investment; critical raw materials and Africa’s development choices; artificial-intelligence risk and governance; reinsurance; and the role of multinational companies. Several challenged the speakers on how cooperation can remain credible when strategic competition is real and political systems do not share the same rules or priorities.

The group also asked how Global Neighbours builds relationships with government officials, particularly in China, whether large businesses can become constructive partners in Europe–Asia relations, and what meaningful action is available to individuals. The range and candour of the questions allowed the speakers’ perspectives from Europe, Africa and Central Asia to meet rather than sit alongside one another. The thoughtful exchange, appreciation voiced for the platform and sustained participation throughout the hike reflected strong interest in Global Neighbours and in continuing the conversation.

Keeping platforms for dialogue open

Siddharth Chatterjee, Chief Executive Officer of Global Neighbours, moderates the exchange and connects the discussion to the future of Europe–Asia and Europe–China relations.

Mr. Chatterjee closed the session by bringing the different regional perspectives back to the future of Europe–Asia and Europe–China relations. The afternoon had moved from trade, infrastructure and strategic competition to climate, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, business responsibility and the role of individuals. That diversity of questions—and the openness with which participants tested the speakers’ ideas—made the hike a genuine discussion rather than a conventional panel. It ended with a shared recognition that cooperation does not require uniformity: it requires spaces where differences can be heard, practical interests identified and trust built through continued contact.

From left: Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, Dr. Philipp Rösler, Mr. Gyude Moore, Ms. Jovanka Porsche and H.E. Mr. Vladimir Norov following the Global Neighbours hike at EFA26.