Geopolitics of Infrastructures: Soft Power through Hard Assets | ESSEC Webinaire

Geopolitics of Infrastructures: Soft Power through Hard Assets | ESSEC Webinaire

🎙 ESSEC Business School 👥 90K 📅 December 12, 2025 ⏱ 76 min 👁 277 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-13
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

infrastructuregeopoliticssoft powerGlobal GatewayBelt and Road Initiative

Summary

This webinar, organized by the ESSEC Institute for Geopolitics & Business, explores the geopolitical dimensions of infrastructure. Moderated by Thomas Friang, it features four experts: Mounir Corm (Vauban Infrastructure Partners), Julien Michel (Natixis), Holy Ranaivozanany (Africa-Europe Foundation), and Denis Simonneau (former diplomat and Engie executive). The discussion begins with examples like Huawei’s exclusion from 5G networks and the Panama Canal dispute, illustrating how infrastructure has become a strategic vulnerability. The panel then examines Europe’s shift from a ’naive’ approach to a more assertive stance, marked by the EU’s FDI screening and the Global Gateway initiative. The conversation covers the energy sector, particularly the Nord Stream pipeline, and the need for massive investments to ensure sovereignty and competitiveness. The speakers emphasize the importance of co-investment and co-conception in Africa, and the competitive landscape with China and other players. The webinar concludes with a Q&A session, addressing questions from the audience.

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Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The value of the information is high, as the panelists bring diverse and deep expertise. They provide concrete examples and nuanced arguments, such as Denis Simonneau’s defense of Nord Stream as an economic project that became a geopolitical trap due to Putin’s actions. The argumentation is solid, with each speaker building on previous points and offering a balanced view of the challenges and opportunities. The discussion is well-structured, moving from specific cases to broader strategic considerations.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The scientific rigor is appropriate for a webinar format. The speakers cite real-world events and policies, such as the EU’s FDI screening regulation and the Global Gateway initiative, without providing formal citations. The sources mentioned are primarily institutional and corporate, but the expertise of the panelists lends credibility. The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on how infrastructure assets are used as tools of geopolitical influence. The webinar does not include a formal bibliography, but the discussion is grounded in current affairs and professional experience.

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Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on how infrastructure assets are used as tools of geopolitical influence.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The webinar features high-level experts from finance, diplomacy, and infrastructure investment, providing informed perspectives. The discussion is balanced and grounded in real-world examples, though it remains an expert panel rather than a peer-reviewed study.

Chapters

Cited Sources

Concurring Sources

  • Global Gateway — The EU's initiative to mobilize investments in infrastructure worldwide, discussed as a response to China's BRI.
  • Belt and Road Initiative — China's global infrastructure strategy, referenced as a major geopolitical force.

Contribution & Novelties

The webinar provides a timely and expert analysis of how infrastructure has become a central geopolitical tool, moving beyond traditional economic perspectives. It offers a European perspective on the challenges posed by China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the need for strategic autonomy. The discussion on Nord Stream provides an insider’s view on the decision-making process, adding depth to the public debate.

Pour aller plus loin :

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Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity, quality, and reliability, with a slightly lower technical level, reflecting the webinar's focus on strategic and policy discussions rather than deep technical details.

Reliability 8/10