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| Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques | |
|---|---|
| Name | Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Paris |
| Fields | International relations, Strategic studies |
Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques is a Paris-based French think tank and research institute focused on international relations and strategic studies. The institute conducts policy research, publishes analyses, and provides training aimed at decision-makers, diplomats, and academics. It operates within networks linking European, African, and transatlantic institutions and engages with security, diplomatic, and geopolitical issues.
The institute emerged in the late 20th century amid debates in Paris about European integration and NATO enlargement, interacting with actors from France, Germany, United Kingdom, and United States. During the 1980s and 1990s its work intersected with events such as the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the Yugoslav Wars, prompting analyses that engaged with policymakers in Brussels, Strasbourg, and Washington, D.C.. In the 2000s the institute addressed crises including the Iraq War, the Russo-Georgian War, and the Arab Spring, while expanding links to institutions in Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Recent decades saw interactions with debates over the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy, the NATO strategic concept updates, and responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The institute states objectives related to informing public debate and advising officials in contexts such as multilateral diplomacy and crisis management. Its activities have included policy briefs, scenario planning for contingencies like Cyberwarfare incidents, and roundtables on topics ranging from Counterterrorism to energy security involving stakeholders from European Commission, Council of the European Union, United Nations, and national ministries. It has hosted seminars featuring figures associated with Élysée Palace circles, officials with backgrounds in Ministry of Armed Forces (France), and scholars from institutions like Sciences Po, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, and Brookings Institution.
Governance has combined an executive leadership, advisory boards, and research departments coordinating on thematic programs. Leadership interacts with administrative counterparts in Paris municipal structures and with funding partners including corporate sponsors, philanthropic foundations, and European research grants linked to Horizon 2020 frameworks. Advisory members historically included diplomats formerly posted to Embassy of France in the United States, retired military officers with service in Operation Serval, and academics from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas. Internal organization aligns research clusters on regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, and East Asia.
The institute issues reports, policy papers, and briefing notes addressing geopolitics, transnational threats, and strategic doctrines. Publications have examined case studies like the Syrian civil war, the Iran nuclear deal, and maritime disputes in the South China Sea, often citing precedents from the Treaty of Maastricht era and implications for institutions like the European External Action ServiceEuropean External Action Service. Outputs appear in formats ranging from working papers to edited volumes and are disseminated to audiences including members of Assemblée nationale (France), officials at NATO Headquarters, and analysts at International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The institute also curates commentary on diplomatic negotiations such as the Iran–United States prisoner exchange and peace processes involving United Nations Security Council deliberations.
Training programs target diplomats, civil servants, and executives with modules on negotiation techniques, crisis simulation, and strategic communication. Courses have drawn instructors from École nationale d'administration, practitioners formerly assigned to Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France), and experts from international organizations like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The institute has run executive seminars on topics connected to sanctions policy exemplified by measures against Russia and workshops on post-conflict reconstruction referencing experiences from Kosovo and Iraq.
The institute maintains partnerships with universities, research centers, and multilateral bodies. Collaborations include exchanges with Sciences Po, cooperative projects with King's College London, joint events with Chatham House, and network ties to regional organizations such as the African Union and Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It has participated in European research consortia connected to European Research Council grants and convened panels in conjunction with United Nations University initiatives and think tanks like Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
The institute has faced scrutiny over funding transparency and the influence of corporate or state sponsors on research agendas, mirroring debates involving other Paris-based policy centers. Critics have pointed to perceived proximity with political actors tied to administrations in Paris and alleged lack of separation between training activities for officials and paid consultancy for corporate clients active in regions such as North Africa and Central Asia. Some commentators have contested analyses produced on sensitive topics like relations with Russia and engagement with China, arguing for greater methodological disclosure and clearer conflict-of-interest policies. Category:Think tanks based in France