CIDOB

CIDOB
Name	CIDOB
Founded	1973
Type	think tank
Location	Barcelona, Spain
Focus	International relations, geopolitics

CIDOB CIDOB is a Barcelona-based think tank founded in 1973 that focuses on international relations, geopolitical analysis, and global policy debate. It engages with scholars, diplomats, and policymakers from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia through research, publications, and events. The institute has contributed to discussions on European integration, Mediterranean affairs, transatlantic relations, and global governance.

History

Founded in 1973 amid Spain's late-Franco era and the Cold War context, the institute developed links with institutions such as Universitat de Barcelona, Ajuntament de Barcelona, and later with European networks like the European Commission and the Council of Europe. During the 1980s it engaged with debates involving NATO, the Schengen Agreement, and the process leading to the Treaty of Maastricht. In the 1990s its work intersected with issues around the collapse of the Soviet Union, the wars following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, and the Barcelona Process for Mediterranean cooperation. In the 2000s it expanded networks to include institutions such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Recent decades saw collaborations around challenges tied to the Arab Spring, the rise of China, the European Union’s internal crises, and transatlantic strains involving the United States.

Mission and Activities

The institute’s mission emphasizes providing policy-relevant analysis to inform actors like the European Parliament, national ministries such as Spain’s Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, regional governments like the Generalitat de Catalunya, and international bodies including the United Nations Security Council. Activities include producing briefings for ambassadors accredited to Spain, offering expert testimony before parliamentary committees, and advising multilateral forums like the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe or the African Union. It also maintains engagement with academic partners such as London School of Economics, Sciences Po, and Columbia University.

Research Programs and Publications

Research programs cover regions and themes intersecting with institutions like the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Union for the Mediterranean. Work addresses bilateral relations involving countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Morocco, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, China, India, and Russia. Publications include policy papers, briefings, and working papers that are cited by think tanks such as Chatham House, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Brookings Institution. The institute contributes to edited volumes alongside publishers like Routledge and appears in journals that include references to research from Foreign Affairs, International Affairs, and the Journal of Common Market Studies.

Events and Conferences

The institute organizes seminars, roundtables, and international conferences that attract figures from diplomacy and scholarship, including ambassadors, ministers, and academics affiliated with Harvard University, Stanford University, Universität Oxford, Università di Bologna, and Universidade de São Paulo. It has hosted panels on topics related to the Mediterranean Dialogues, transatlantic relations with the United States Department of State, and regional security with representatives from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Conferences often feature contributions from authors involved in commissions like the Trilateral Commission, the Club de Madrid, and the G20 advisory mechanisms.

Organizational Structure and Governance

Governance comprises a board of trustees and an executive team that liaise with external advisory councils including former ministers, ambassadors, and academics from institutions such as the European Central Bank and the Consejo de Seguridad Nacional (Spain). Organizational units mirror research centers focused on regions like Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and thematic units covering security, migration, and energy with links to agencies like the International Organisation for Migration and the International Energy Agency. Leadership rosters have included directors and senior fellows who previously served in roles connected to the Spanish Parliament or as diplomats accredited to multilateral institutions such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources combine grants and contracts from public institutions including the European Commission, national ministries such as Ministerio de Defensa (Spain), regional administrations, as well as private foundations like the Open Society Foundations, corporate sponsorships from multinational firms, and project-based income from entities like the World Bank. Partnerships are maintained with universities and research centers such as Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Centre for European Policy Studies, and Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals, and collaborative projects have been funded through mechanisms like the Horizon 2020 program.

Impact and Controversies

The institute has influenced policy debates on migration accords with Morocco, EU neighborhood policy tied to the Barcelona Process, and analyses informing responses to crises like the Syrian Civil War and the Venezuelan political crisis. It has been cited by media outlets and institutions including El País, BBC News, and Financial Times. Controversies have involved debates over funding transparency with critics comparing practices to other think tanks such as Atlantic Council and European Council on Foreign Relations, and discussions about perceived political alignments during electoral cycles in Spain involving parties like Partido Popular and Partido Socialista Obrero Español.

Category:Think tanks in Spain