Strategic Foresight Group
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Strategic Foresight Group (SFG) is a think tank based in India that helps policy makers to anticipate and shape, the future in uncertain times. It produces fresh perspectives, by combining research with policy change and conflict-resolution initiatives. Its in-depth scenarios in the context of the war in Iraq, instability in Central Asia, religious extremism in Pakistan and India's economy has earned SFG, a reputation for correct projections.
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[edit] History
The founding of SFG coincided with a period of oscillating developments in India-Pakistan relations. SFG produced a pioneering assessment of the cost of conflict between the two countries, which contributed to a widespread demand for peace in the subcontinent. India's External Affairs Minister described it as a valuable tool for the practitioners of foreign policy. SFG Later on undertaken a similar exercise for Sri Lanka at the invitation of the main stakeholders in the Sri Lanka conflict. This report too attracted considerable attendion. In 2005, its report, The Final Settlement created a stimulating public debate on the hitherto unknown water dimension in the India-Pakistan relations, inspiring various local language publishers to bring out translated editions of the same.
While SFG focused on South Asia in its initial period, it has since widened the scope of its work to address terrorism, clash of civilizations and the apparent conflict between West and Islam.
In 2004, SFG convened a roundtable of leading strategic thinkers from around the world to prepare a common intellectual framework for deconstructing terror. Since then SFG has been invited by Prime Ministers, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and governments of several countries in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East for policy consultations. In June 2005, SFG and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe, jointly convened a roundtable at the European Parliament, Brussels, involving serving and former cabinet ministers and parliamentarians from different parts of the world. The roundtable adopted the Brussels Consensus on the principles and policies for a safer world.
[edit] Current work
The Third International Roundtable was organised by Strategic Foresight Group and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe at the European Parliament, Brussels, on 26-27 November 2006. The Roundtable was endorsed by the League of Arab States. It engaged important public institutions from the Western and Islamic worlds.
About 40 leaders from Europe, Asia and the Middle East participated in the Roundtable. They included serving cabinet ministers, former ministers, leaders of parliamentary groups, special envoys of the heads of multilateral organisations and directors of important institutions. The distinguished group recommended an Inclusive Semi Permanent Conference on Peace in the Middle East, Western Islamic Dialogue and Engagement Initiative, International Historical Study Group on Common Human Civilisation, Arab Islamic Renaissance Initiative and the promotion of the Compact of Dialogue-Democracy-Development. The Roundtable welcomed the Report of the High Level Group of the Alliance of Civilizations of the United Nations.
At the beginning of 2007 Strategic Foresight Group brought out its global research report An Inclusive World: in which the West, Islam and the Rest have a stake. Prof Shlomo Ben Ami, former Foreign Minister of Israel describes this "as the most comprehensive approach to solve the crisis of our time that has ever been proposed." Prof Kamel Abu Jaber, former Foreign Minister of Jordan, calls it "hope in an otherwise hopeless international system." The philosophy of An Inclusive World could be subject of a new global debate to overcome the divides at the beginning of the 21st century. The report was debated by Oxford University at one of the famous Oxford Union debates in May. It also featured three times in the debates at the House of Commons. The European Parliament and the League of Arab States circulated it widely among their members.
One of the main conclusions of the Third International Roundtable was a proposal for Inclusive Semi Permanent Conference for the Middle East. In 2008 SFG brought out a position paper on this subject, which would be launched at the House of Lords in May.
In 2008, SFG continued its work in the Cost of Conflict series, this time focussing on the Middle East, in alignment with its other work. It convened a planning workshop at Antalya, Turkey in March 2008 under the joint sponsorship of the Swiss government and the AK Party of Turkey. It opened with inaugural addresses by Mehmet Aydin, Turky's minister who also co-chairs the Alliance of Civilizations, Thomas Greminger, senior ambassador of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Hesham Youssef, the chef de cabinet of the Arab League Secretary General's office. About 35 experts, including several former ministers, from Israel, Palestinian territories, Arab states, Turkey and Europe participated in the workshop. SFG is expected to complete the project by the end of 2008.
Sundeep Waslekar is the President of Strategic Foresight Group. Ilmas Futehally is the Vice President.
[edit] Selected publications
- Ilmas Futehally & Semu Bhatt, Cost of conflict between India and Pakistan, Mumbai: Strategic Foresight Group. 2004. ISBN 81-88262-04-8 reviewed at [1]
- Semu Bhatt and Devika Mistry, "Cost of Conflict in Sri Lanka" ISBN 81-88262-08-0
- The Final Settlement ISBN 81-88262-06-4 [2]
- Managing Global Challenges: Scenarios for Malaysia
- Shifting Sands: Instability in Undefined Asia, ISBN 81-88262-03-X
- An Inclusive World [3]
- Emerging Issues Report: Global Security and Economy [4]
