Dr. Elena Lazarou and George Papadimitrakopoulos were invited to participate at the latest Regional Growth Conference in Komotini, in northern Greece.
Their panel focused on Borders, Security, and Defense, offering a European as well as a Greek perspective.

The panel addressed both the opportunities and challenges posed by the various types of population movements, in and beyond Europe. They discussed policy options to address global insecurity, violence and inequality that they identified as root causes of involutary displacement. In this context the necessity to ensure adequate funding for international and sustainable development was mentioned. In addition the panel reflected on the opportunities provided by sound migration policies, particularly given demographic trends.

The speakers also highlighted the inherent dangers of the instrumentalisarion and monetisation of migration for coercive purposes, as well as the use of disinformation about migratory phenomena to foment political polarisation and fund Transnational Organised Crime Groups.

Given the topic and ELIAMEP’s expertise, the discussion also included the risks posed by the nexus of Terrorism and Transnational Organised Crime Groups, and especially the exploitation of the vulnerable associated with the ubiquitous crime of Trafficking in Human Beings.