Sarajevo Security Conference: Critical Raw Materials in the Western Balkans

Our panelists were Marta Szpala (Senior Fellow, Center for Eastern Studies), Maciej Bukowski (Head of the Energy and Resilience Program, Casimir Pulaski Foundation), Svjetlana Nedimović (Activist, member of the United Balkan Resistance Collective, Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Frauke Seebass (Visiting Fellow, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik). Selma Šehović, our Program Manager for Socio-Ecological Transformation, moderated the discussion.

Given the significance of the topic to the relationship between the European Union, its Member States, and the candidate countries in the region, the inputs were framed mainly in relation to the question of what takes precedence: the global geopolitical race for CRM, including the necessity for EU  enlargement or the conditions under which it happens?

Our panelists reflected on two primary issues in this context. One, the availability of  CRM poses a significant challenge in determining global priorities. As pointed out at the panel, the most critical power shifts in international relations typically occur with shifts in dominant energy systems. It is a priority for the EU to ensure that its own goals are aligned, which they currently don't seem to be, and in coherence with the position the Union takes in these global realignments.

On the other hand, this should not occur at the expense of transparency and the rule of law requirements, especially in the countries of the Western Balkans. After all, joining the Union is supposed to be rooted in a deep understanding of the transformational potential that the accession offers. One of our panelists also delivered a strong message on the importance of affected communities and related local experiences, in contrast to an elitist and extractivist approach.

Overwhelmingly, the message of the panel seemed to offer a powerful overarching reminder: what should distinguish democratic leaders in international, regional, and local processes are their values and the consistency with which they apply them. Accountability and dedication to human rights should not and cannot be perceived as anything but strategic leverage and advantage, regardless of the process being discussed.

We thank our panelists for their contributions and our partners, the Sarajevo Security Conference, for working with us to bring this topic to the forefront of security discussions for the Western Balkans.