Emmanuel Reinert

Emmanuel Reinert

Emmanuel Reinert is the Executive Director of The Senlis Council, an internationalsecurity and development think tank founded in 2002 with offices in Kabul, London,
Ottawa, Rio de Janeiro, Brussels and Paris, and field offices in the Afghan cities ofLashkar Gah and Kandahar City. [For the website of The Senlis Council, please visit www.senliscouncil.net] Along with the President of the Italian Red Cross, Dr Massimo Barra, Mr Reinert isalso the Co-Chair of the Rome Consensus for a Humanitarian Drug Policy.

Mr Reinert recently appeared on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnJdr4ZCYgs France 24’s "A La Une"] to discuss France’s position in the War on Terror following the deaths of 10 French soldiers in [Afghanistan] . He then appeared on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fnIG2kGs5A France 24’s "Top Story"] to warn of the Taliban’s widespread control, both psychological and geographical, in Afghanistan . He also joined Karim Pakad from IRIS on France 24’s "Face a Face" to debate what is perceived as a global denial of the Taliban’s strength (Click [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fnIG2kGs5A here] for part 1; Click [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC2L1vfa9Co here] for part 2).

Mr Reinert appeared on [http://www.senliscouncil.net/static/radio/080819_ER_BBC%20The%20World%20Tonight.mp3 BBC Radio Four’s "The World Tonight"] to comment on the Taliban’s encirclement of Kabul and the French military deaths. He also spoke to the [http://www.senliscouncil.net/static/radio/ER_BBC%20World%20Service_The%20World%20Today_08-08-19.mp3 BBC World Service’s "The World Today"] about the need for a change in strategy in light of a growing Taliban presence in and around Afghanistan’s capitalIn August he featured on [http://www.senliscouncil.net/static/radio/ER_France%20Infos_08-08-19.mp3 Radio France’s "France Infos"] to discuss the Taliban’s most recent tactics being used against international and Afghan forces, particularly their increased strength and military savvy.

In July 2007 he was interviewed on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW3R9xeOf9s CNN] to talk about the current climate in Afghanistan, foreseeing a spring of carnage in Afghanistan. Later on in the year, he went back to CNN to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i69lTKPhftg discuss the Taliban’s unexpected move north] . On [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ios_Xt18VC4 Sky News] he reinforces the need for more aid in Afghanistan as poverty proves to be a clear indicator of Afghan support for the Taliban. In late 2006 he proposes the Poppy for Medicine initiative to CNN, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lC6hCJ6EMw describing current counter-narcotics policy as detrimental] to military efforts, reconstruction efforts and the country’s security situation as a whole.

The Senlis Council

The Council provides innovative analysis and recommendations on the connectionsbetween foreign policy, security, development and counter-narcotics policies. Itconvenes politicians, high profile academics, independent experts and NGOs in orderto accomplish its mission. It aims to work as the dialogue partner with seniorpolicy-makers at the national and international levels in order to foster high-levelexchanges and new ideas on bridging security, development and counter-narcoticspolicies.

In his role as Executive Director, for the past five years Mr Reinert has ledinternational campaigns focusing on counter-narcotics and security issues andprovided innovative analysis on these topics. Within his work for The Senlis Council,Mr Reinert has been pivotal in establishing its European network, developing theCouncil’s Poppy for Medicine initiative which was officially endorsed by the
European Parliament in 2007, and setting up its work in Brazil on public security.Mr Reinert holds a Diploma in Political Science and MA in International Private Lawand European Union Law. Mr Reinert’s expertise on counter-narcotics and securityissues has put him in a position to give several keynote addresses to prestigiousinternational security conferences at such venues as the Royal United ServicesInstitute (RUSI) and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). He hasalso conducted interviews with major international media such as BBC, CNN, France 24 and Al Jazeera.