Agenda

Deterrence today depends not only on public budgets but on the mobilisation of capital at scale. As defence spending rises, the real challenge lies in translating funding into deployable capability amid procurement bottlenecks and industrial constraints.

Wars are no longer decided only on the battlefield, but in factories, supply chains, and production lines. States face a hard constraint: time. This session examines whether they can rebuild defence-industrial capacity at the speed demanded by reality and what happens if they cannot.

Wars will increasingly be decided by which side can build a live, unified picture of the battlespace and update it faster than the enemy can react. The key advantage will come from linking sensors, software, commanders, and weapons into one continuous decision system. Armies built around disconnected platforms and slow chains of command will become operationally obsolete, even with superior hardware. Military power will shift from owning more assets to orchestrating information, timing, and adaptation across the entire force. The states that master this architecture will set the terms of future warfare.

Modern conflict does not stop at borders. Societies themselves have become targets — through energy pressure, migration flows, disinformation, and internal destabilisation. This discussion focuses on how states defend cohesion at home while remaining open, lawful, and free — and where the line between resilience and vulnerability truly lies.

Energy has become a frontline of modern conflict. Pipelines, grids, shipping lanes, and transition technologies are now instruments of leverage as much as engines of growth. This session addresses how states and companies can protect critical energy infrastructure, secure supply routes, and manage the security risks of transition—while avoiding new dependencies that undermine sovereignty.

Biological threats are no longer confined to public health. Advances in biotechnology, synthetic biology, and dual-use research are expanding both defensive capacity and strategic risk. This session examines how states prepare for biological disruption — from engineered pathogens to supply-chain fragility — and how bio-defence must be integrated into national security planning, alliance coordination, and strategic resilience. In an era of accelerating science, preparedness is deterrence

Africa is emerging as a central arena in global security, shaped by terrorism, political instability, and intensifying external competition. From the Sahel to the Horn and the Gulf of Guinea, security challenges are increasingly intertwined with economic resilience and state capacity. In this exchange, two senior generals discuss how African states can strengthen defence capabilities, enhance regional cooperation, and assert strategic autonomy while navigating the pressures and interests of global powers.

From energy grids and subsea cables to cloud systems and transport networks, critical infrastructure has become a primary target in hybrid conflict. Disruption can paralyse economies, undermine deterrence, and erode public trust without open confrontation. This panel examines how states and partners can protect, harden, and rapidly restore essential systems — embedding resilience at the core of national security. This session examines how states prepare for biological disruption — from engineered pathogens to supply-chain fragility — and how bio defence must be integrated into national security planning, alliance coordination, and strategic resilience. In an era of accelerating science, preparedness is deterrence.

Europe is entering a period of accelerated rearmament, driven by war on its borders and a renewed awareness of hard power. Yet ambition must be matched by industrial capacity, procurement reform, and sustained political will. This panel examines how Europe can rebuild military strength at scale — aligning budgets, defence industry, and alliances to deliver credible deterrence in a more dangerous era

Defence capability today depends not only on government spending but on the ability to mobilise capital and scale industrial production. As demand rises, financial institutions are becoming critical enablers of defence manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and technological advancement. This panel explores how banks, public financial institutions, and industry can work together to translate strategic demand into industrial capacity and credible military power.

Greece stands at a strategic crossroads. As Europe rearms and global competition intensifies, the question is no longer whether to invest in defence — but how to translate geography, talent, and alliances into industrial capability. This closing plenary examines the future of the Greek defence ecosystem: from platform integration and export orientation to institutional reform and public–private alignment. What must change for Greece to move from procurement to production, from participant to actor? The path forward will determine not only national capability, but Greece’s position in the emerging European security architecture.