Objective

The MEPEI serves to promote greater understanding of the Middle East, its diverse culture, languages and people, and to create links between individuals, institutions and communities.

Mission statement

• Through dialogue, research, diplomacy and advocacy, it works to strengthen the relationship between Middle East and the EU.
• Through formal and informal meetings, conferences, lectures, seminaries and workshops, it promotes and supports innovative thinking in public and foreign policy, as well as in business.
• It serves to help dispel misperceptions about the Middle East through articles and appearance in media.
• It publishes report covering the contemporary Middle East.

TEAM

Chairman - General (ret). Sergiu Medar is a 1970 graduate of the Machine-Building Engineering Faculty of the Bucharest Polytechnics.  

In 1986, he won a PhD and was hired as scientific researcher at the Science and Engineering Institute. In 1990-1992 he worked with the Military Intelligence Department, attending in the meantime postgraduate studies of military intelligence. In 1992 he was appointed deputy to the military attaché of Romania in the US, Argentine and Brazil. In 1996 he was promoted to full military attaché in the US.

In 1999-2005 he was head of the Romanian Military Intelligence Department and in 2005 he was appointed general director of the Defence Intelligence General Department. At the end of 2005, is appointed National Security Adviser and Chief of National Security Department.

General Medar was a guest speaker at the Marshall Center in Garmish, Germany, and at the US Joint Military Intelligence College. He is professor of the Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu, and associate professor of the Carol I National Defence University of Romania and the National Defence College.
  

Manuela Paraipan is Co-Founder of Middle East Political and Economic Institute, and an independent foreign policy analyst. She acted as media advisor to different parties in the Middle East. She was a media fellow and contributor editor to World Security Network. She has authored articles and policy studies on topics including human rights in Lebanon, Middle East politics, global governance and economic advancement in underdeveloped countries.  


Cristi D. Lăţea is Co-Founder of Middle East Political and Economic Institute, based in Bucharest, Romania. His professional experience includes working as Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Romania in Baghdad and Special Counsellor of the Romanian National Security Advisor. He has degrees in economics, international security studies, communication and public relations. His research interests lie in the Middle East security and economic architectures, energy security, Middle East peace process and foreign policy issues.


Razvan Gabor is an independent political analyst, who holds a B.A. in Political Science and expertise in Middle East political and economic issues. He specializes in Middle East regional security architecture, internal politics and foreign affairs.


Researcher - Currently based out of Boston, MA, Phillip Smyth is a freelance journalist and makes frequent trips to Lebanon and the broader Middle East. He specializes in the study of Middle Eastern Christian communities, regional nationalisms and Lebanese politics. Phillip has extensive connections with many Middle Eastern political leaders and has served as an adviser to a number of regional NGO’s and political groups.