Europe and Ultra-Peripheral Regions Facing New International Challenges
Democratic Capsule – IED Event, Guadeloupe, France
26.05.2025
Europe and Ultra-Peripheral Regions Facing New International Challenges, IED's Capsule: Guadeloupe, France, May 26, 2025
The geopolitical landscape is shifting rapidly. During a Democratic Capsule organized in Guadeloupe by the Institute for European Democrats on May 26, 2025, participants examined how Europe and its ultra-peripheral territories must navigate unprecedented international challenges - from military proliferation to economic disruption.
The Challenge of Global Military Presence
The United States operates 800 military bases worldwide, fundamentally shaping the strategic environment in which the European Union operates. Allied interests directly affect EU territories, particularly the ultra-peripheral regions. The question becomes urgent: will Europe limit itself to absorbing military pressures and defense spending, or will it pursue an autonomous foreign policy grounded in peace and justice - one that reflects European values and interests?
Economic Disruption and Strategic Division
Tariff wars represent a deliberate strategy to destabilize global economic logic - divide and conquer. China's strengthening economy and continued conflict in Ukraine compound these pressures. Europe must formulate a coherent, unified response that protects its interests while remaining true to its principles.
Security Threats to Overseas Territories
Rising drug and arms trafficking directly threatens the health and security of overseas territories. This crisis demands a unified European response - no territory can solve this alone. Furthermore, the EU's inability to respond decisively to the Gaza genocide undermines its credibility in advancing coherent foreign policy. Without moral clarity on such fundamental issues, Europe's voice rings hollow on the world stage.
Mayotte's Reconstruction: A Symbol of European Solidarity
Mayotte's reconstruction, with support from Réunion, stands as a priority demonstration of European unity and commitment to its most vulnerable regions.
Three Central Questions
How can the EU deploy effective funding mechanisms while respecting the principle of subsidiarity? FEDER funds are critical for building durable, climate-resilient infrastructure tailored to ultraperipheral territories.
How must Europe integrate overseas territories into the definition and construction of its foreign policy at every level - strategic, economic, and social?
Can Europe recognize that sargasso seaweed, rising seas, and trafficking are not isolated regional problems - they are European and global challenges requiring urgent, coordinated action?
The time for European decision is now. Overseas territories hold the key to demonstrating whether Europe can act with strategic autonomy, moral coherence, and genuine solidarity.