PeaceLab in English - PeaceLab-Blog

PeaceLab in English A fresh look at peace and security

‘Preventing Crises, Resolving Conflicts, Building Peace’ are key challenges for Germany’s and Europe’s evolving international role. Berlin is investing in the field, both financially and conceptually. On this blog, we discuss how to target these investments towards better crisis prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding. Most contributions are in German, but we occasionally ask international experts for their views. This section collects contributions in English. You are warmly invited to join the discussion: Subscribe to our weekly email-updates (in German), share and comment on posts on social media (@PeaceLabBlog, #PeaceLab), read our summary of the preceding “PeaceLab2016” debate or send us an email at peacelab@gppi.net.

No More Cherry-Picking: The EU’s Internal and External Security Arms Should Streamline Operations

Due to a growing overlap, the civilian missions of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy fear being eclipsed by EU home affairs agencies. Agencies should start to share work with the missions because, due to their geographical range, third country involvement, and advanced cooperation with military actors, they are key boosters of the EU’s global footprint.

Roderick Parkes • 27. Juni 2019

Making Power-Sharing Work: The Role of Mediation

While the promise of power-sharing is often necessary to reach peace agreements, power-sharing institutions are unlikely to function effectively in post-conflict settings. Mediation can help making power-sharing work – if it improves inter-elite relationships, addresses issues unresolved in peace agreements, and provides a framework for local conflict resolution.

Alexandre Raffoul • 15. Mai 2019

Discover the Security Council’s Informal Tool for Crisis Management

As a member of the UN Security Council, Germany should convene Arria-formula meetings more frequently to address specific impending crises and conflicts. In doing so, it should also strengthen cooperation with countries from the Global South. This would grant additional expertise and flexibility to the Council and diversify the included voices and preferences.

Melanie Coni-Zimmer, Anton Peez • 19. August 2019

Invest in Peace: Five Priorities for the Next EU Budget

In the upcoming period, Brussels will focus on the EU’s budget for 2021-2027. There are five things actors concerned with conflict prevention and peacebuilding should keep in mind in the budget negotiations. The first one: be prepared to build alliances with unusual bedfellows!

Andrew Sherriff, Pauline Veron • 06. August 2019

Effectiveness: The Missing Word in Civilian Crisis Management?

The shift in the EU’s crisis management towards internal security needs and away from local needs might decrease the effectiveness of civilian missions. To bolster their effectiveness, the EU and its member states should improve training and secondment mechanisms and be open for external evaluations. The Finnish and German EU Presidencies can pave the way for this.

Jyrki Ruohomäki • 24. Juli 2019

First Things First: Prioritize Mass Atrocity Prevention

The EU has to mainstream mass atrocity prevention into its security, development, and trade policies which requires political prioritization. Conducted seriously, this would lead to structural prevention and sharpened warning-response mechanisms. Germany could improve the coordination in Brussels to anticipate risks in regions that contribute most to refugee flows.

Chiara De Franco • 18. Juli 2019

Preventive Diplomacy: Invest in the Skills of Frontline Diplomats

In conflict-prone countries, diplomats must employ a special skill-set that allows them to escape from biased conventional wisdoms and balance the personal and the professional in negotiations. Ministries and international organizations should foster mechanisms such as structured spaces for reflection and frequent exchange with fellow diplomats from relevant missions in the region.

Gerrit Kurtz • 04. Juli 2019

Conflict in Cameroon: EU and African partners should not count on France

European and African partners should not wait for France to move diplomatically to address the growing crisis in Cameroon. Rather, they should foster an international debate from which Paris will not be able to hide.

Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle • 12. Juni 2019

Civilian CSDP Compact: Boosting Crisis Management and Strategic Autonomy

Its blend of civilian and military instruments make the EU a unique security actor, but challenges in decision-making, implementation, and political will might impede its goal to become a stronger global player. Germany is in a strategic position to influence these processes and should use its diplomatic network and civilian know-how to better coordinate EU external action.

Tania Laţici • 11. Juni 2019

Towards Citizen-Oriented SSR: A Needs Assessment with Syrians in Germany

A security needs assessment conducted with Syrian nationals residing in Germany demonstrated that citizens view themselves as central to SSR processes. Not only do they have clear visions and demands for security provision, they also expect it to respond to their needs. SSR processes should follow security needs assessments, which aim to understand what reforms are necessary to ensure citizens feel safe and secure, particularly in post-conflict environments.

Nora-Elise Beck, Lars Döbert • 06. Juni 2019

Directorate ISP: No Deus Ex Machina for the EU’s Integrated Approach

Due to improved managerial strength and operational implementation, the new Directorate Integrated Approach for Security and Peace (ISP) will clarify and strengthen the chain of command in implementing the EU’s Integrated Approach. However, the new structure fails to merge the operational level with the political level. In this regard, the EU could learn lessons from recent UN reforms.

Loes Debuysere, Steven Blockmans • 05. Juni 2019

Justice for Peace: Closing the Global Justice Gap to Prevent Conflict and Instability

Over 5.1 billion people worldwide do not have meaningful access to justice. Preventive approaches in justice strategies are an effective way to tackle this global justice gap. Germany should invest in justice data and innovation as well as smarter justice financing. Successful examples should be showcased at the UN’s High-level Political Forum in July.

Maaike de Langen • 29. Mai 2019

Sustaining Peace, Building Justice: Lessons from the International Development Law Organization

Strong rule of law institutions are crucial for preventing conflicts and building peace. Effectively promoting the rule of law requires sustained and context-sensitive engagement, quick wins, grassroots partnerships and empowered citizens. Such work needs to involve informal justice mechanisms, combat violence against women and stay engaged during all phases of conflict.

International Development Law Organization • 20. Mai 2019

Attacking the Rule of Law as a Peril for Democracy

The rule of law is under attack – in Europe and elsewhere. This has destructive consequences for democracy as well since both are inseparably connected. The German government must not underestimate the fragility of the rule of law and should closely study the concrete political and legal instruments that undermine it.

Matthias Mahlmann • 16. Mai 2019

International Rule of Law Assistance: Learning from Failures in Afghanistan

18 years of rule of law assistance in Afghanistan provide key lessons for donors: Ensure that assistance for security and assistance for justice go hand in hand and make fighting corruption a priority. In supporting local organizations, Germany should combine clear criteria for funding with the flexibility needed to work in a country like Afghanistan.

Lutforahman Saeed • 08. Mai 2019

Lessons from German Rule of Law Support in Sudan and South Sudan

Establishing access to justice for all in fragile states requires looking into practical realities and understanding where people actually seek justice. Experiences from Sudan and South Sudan show that Germany should (1) support more informal justice providers; and (2) more women at the community level; and (3) combine rule of law promotion with the fight against inequality and discrimination.

Noha Ibrahim Abdelgabar, Pall Davidson • 07. Mai 2019

Civil Society and Rule of Law Assistance in Fragile States: Lessons from Libya

When working with civil society, donors need to be flexible, provide regular psychological and security support and advocate for official channels for civil society participation in the design of rule of law initiatives. “Civil society” is not a homogenous entity. Projects therefore need to factor in time and space for debate within civil society.

Rebecca Wright • 06. Mai 2019

Global Consultations on the World Bank Group’s Strategy for Fragility, Conflict and Violence

By 2030, at least half of the world’s poor will be living in fragile and conflict-affected settings. To address this challenge, the World Bank Group is developing its first Strategy for Fragility, Conflict and Violence. Now it is looking for input: How to best invest in prevention? How to enhance operational effectiveness in the most insecure environments? How to maximize impact on the ground? Join the discussion!

Franck Bousquet • 03. Mai 2019

Rule of Law Assistance to the Palestinian Authority: Challenges Ahead

In the Palestinian context, rule of law is severely hindered by the Israeli occupation, the internal Palestinian division and the lack of a democratic process. Thus, rule of law programs should address internal and external factors, e.g., through assisting in conducting free and fair elections, empowering citizens and strengthening civil society organisations which educate the public about their rights.

Karam Omar, Jamil Salem, Asem Khalil • 30. April 2019

Prioritizing Legitimacy, Anti-corruption and Accountability for Serious Crimes at the National Level

Three rule of law issues require increased support and innovative approaches by the UN and key member states like Germany: (1) rule of law assistance to reinforce the legitimacy of state; (2) rule of law initiatives with a clearer anti-corruption lens; and (3) enhanced technical, financial and political support for national-level investigations and prosecutions of serious crimes.

Charles Briefel • 24. April 2019

Promoting Access to Justice and Anti-Corruption in Fragile Contexts: A Mixed Approach by Legal Empowerment

Justice sector reforms often take a backseat in immediate post-conflict settings. They are however needed to address corruption and to achieve societal inclusion. Pragmatic programs based on a human rights approach, geared towards legal empowerment, should be a priority in fragile contexts.

Jens Deppe • 23. April 2019

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