Diplomacy, cooperation and intergovernmental competition in the Indo-Pacific

INALCO and the French Association for the United Nations (AFNU) are organising two round-table discussions on the following themes: ‘Great Power Rivalries in the Indo-Pacific’ and ‘Regional Organisations, Multilateralism and France’s Position’.

Vue aérienne de l'océan superposée à une carte géographique de l'Indo-Pacifique — Indo-Pacifique. Montage photo et carte géographique © Filière Com2i via Canva.com‎

On friday 13 November 2026
9.00 am–12.15 pm
Maison de la recherche (2 Rue de Lille – 75007 Paris) - Georges Dumézil Auditorium
On registration
On premise

Detailed programme

Conférence Inalco-AFNU - 13/11/2026 (2.98 MB, .pdf)

Organizer(s)

Intercultural and international communication

Type

Conference

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The challenges concentrated in the vast Indo-Pacific region make it a arena for rivalry between major powers against a backdrop of growing tensions between China and the United States. Inalco University and the French Association for the United Nations (AFNU) are organising two round-table discussions aimed at exploring the forms of cooperation that are emerging amidst this rivalry. The first round-table discussion will focus on the trajectories of China, India and Japan, as well as on mini-multilateral cooperation. The second will examine the role of regional organisations as an extension of major UN multilateral initiatives, against a backdrop of a proliferation of organisations, with the aim of fostering a shared regional identity. Against this backdrop, what are France’s strengths, and what actions is it taking? What are France’s objectives and instruments, in conjunction with the EU and its major strategic partners?

Programme

Opening

9.00–9.15 am

Welcome address by Jean-Maurice RIPERT, President of the French Association for the United Nations

Opening remarks by Delphine ALLES, Acting Director of Inalco University, Academic Director of the DÉCRIPT programme, Professor of Political Science (identities and international relations, civilisational narratives, multilateral cooperation, Indo-Pacific)

Round table 1: Power rivalries in the Indo-Pacific

9.15 am–10.20 am

Moderator: Elsa LAFAYE de MICHEAUX, Professor of Political Economy specialising in South-East Asia at Inalco University

Speakers

Sébastien COLIN, senior lecturer in geography specialising in China at Inalco University,
Guibourg DELAMOTTE, Professor of Political Science at Inalco University
Isabelle SAINT-MEZARD, Professor of Geography specialising in the geopolitics of East Asia at Paris Vincennes Saint-Denis
Christian LECHERVY, Ambassador

Q&A

10.20–10.50: Coffee break

Roundtable 2: Regional organisations, multilateralism, cross-cooperation and France’s position

10.40–12.10

Moderator: Sarah MOHAMED-GAILLARD, senior lecturer in contemporary history, HDR, and historian specialising in Oceania at Inalco University

Speakers

Matthieu DISCOUR, Director of Trois Océans, AFD
Sébastien PERRUCHIO, Naval Captain, Maritime Security Coordinator, DGRIS
Dana PURCARESCU, Ambassador for the Indo-Pacific
Jean-Claude BRUNET, Ambassador
Éric BANEL, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Frédéric TOURNAY, representative of the Ministry of the Interior, Civil Protection

Question and answer session

Closing remarks

12.10–12.15

Scientific organisation

Professors Guibourg Delamotte, Ifrae (UMR8043) and IUF, and Elsa Lafaye de Micheaux, Case (UMR8170).

Programme organisation

Ambassadors Jean-Claude Brunet, Christian Lechervy and Richard Narich

Communications and hospitality

Second-year students from Mylène Hardy, senior lecturer and director of the Intercultural and International Communication (Com2i) programme, Inalco University.