Artikel An Opportunity for Germany to Lead a Global Multilateralism Reset To pursue their vision of a rules-based international order, Germany and the EU should increase their cooperation with African countries and the AU, as the continent is deeply invested in multilateralism. In doing so, Germany, the EU and African partners should focus on peace and security, democracy, economic development and climate emergencies. Ottilia Anna Maunganidze • 12 October 2020
Artikel Towards An Integrated Approach to Conflicts and Crises: Germany's Central Role in European Conflict Prevention, Stabilization and Peacebuilding There are three priorities for the future of conflict prevention, stabilization and peacebuilding that Germany and the EU have in common: First, to invest early in prevention. Second, to pursue a political approach to stabilization with the long-term objectives in mind and third, to invest in multi-layered and multi-dimensional peace processes that build on mutual comparative advantages, and reach all parts of conflict-affected societies. Helga Maria Schmid • 11 October 2016
Artikel Mission Impossible? Creating a Dialogue between Research, Policy and Practice Communities Creating a collaborative and inspiring dialogue between academics, policymakers, and practitioners isn’t easy but it’s not impossible. The authors learned eight lessons on how to facilitate engagement by carefully selecting your topics, goals, and guests as well as by mixing different methods and choosing the right setting. Govinda Clayton, Simon J. A. Mason, Siri Aas Rustad, Julia Palik • 15 January 2020
Artikel It’s Not Just About Health: Four Lessons From Ebola for the COVID-19 Response in Conflict-Affected Countries COVID-19 is not the first health crisis to hit conflict-affected countries: Germany can learn valuable lessons from Search for Common Ground’s response to Ebola epidemics. Berlin should support civil society in violence prevention and trust-building measures, provide adequate training for security actors, and ensure the meaningful inclusion of local communities. Charline Burton, Eoin O’Leary • 19 May 2020
Artikel 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 June 2019
Artikel Universal Multilateralism: How Germany Could Shape the New World Order With its White Paper on Multilateralism, the German government could usher in a new era of international cooperation. To do so, it should demonstrate change leadership and initiate a global discussion on a new, truly universal multilateralism that helps tackle pressing issues through a whole-of-government approach and is a guarantor of states’ sovereign equality. Inge Kaul • 17 November 2020
Artikel Shaping the Future of Civilian Crisis Management Almost unnoticed by the wider public, the EU has taken a landmark decision to make its civilian crisis management more capable, flexible and responsive. However, important commitments in the “Civilian CSDP Compact” remain vague. As a strong supporter of civilian CSDP, Germany should push for further ambitious steps to be made concrete. Carina Böttcher, Marie Wolf • 28 November 2018
Artikel 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 July 2019
Artikel Russia’s Play in African Security Russia is increasingly pursuing its economic and political interests on the African continent using both official and unofficial means. This threatens to destabilize the countries in question. International actors should recognize and effectively counter Russia’s policies by supporting strong institutions, as well as small and medium businesses and independent media. Elor Nkereuwem • 09 June 2021
Artikel Western Sahara: Can Trump’s Tweet Generate International Leverage to Broker a Credible Solution? Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Morocco’s sovereignty over the contested territory of the Western Sahara was a game changer in the decades-long conflict. While inconsistent with international law, paradoxically, it could open up a way for international actors to press Morocco and pro-independence Sahrawis to negotiate a lasting political solution. Haizam Amirah-Fernández, Isabelle Werenfels • 31 March 2021
Artikel Sometimes Multilateralism Is Not the Solution A look at the conflicts in the European neighborhood shows: Multilateral responses are often needed – but not always. Multilateralism to the south and east should be promoted only when it contributes to addressing fragility and conflict. It is in the fine grain of whether, how, and what form of multilateralism we should promote that the conversation should unfold. Nathalie Tocci • 19 October 2020
Veranstaltungsbericht The Future of EU Crisis Management: What Expectations for Germany? On 11 November 2016, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung EU Office hosted an expert roundtable with European stakeholders as part of the PeaceLab2016 process to discuss Germanys role in future EU crisis management. The event was held in Brussels. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung EU Office • 05 January 2017
Artikel Without Democracy, No Human Rights and No Peace Germanys new guidelines for managing crises and conflicts should lay the ground for human rights promotion that is more courageous, political and ready for new risks. Despite old and new challenges, democracy assistance remains an important component of sustainable peacebuilding. Katrin Kinzelbach • 25 January 2017
Artikel Germany, Multilateralism and the Climate Crisis: How Cooperation Can Strengthen Climate Policy For climate policy to be successful, cooperation among big emitters is essential. Germany should use its political weight to help bring initiatives in the EU and the G20 to fruition while initiating and strengthening alliances aiming at concrete transformative measures and innovation. It can also help build knowledge systems that are fit for instigating and supporting change. Camilla Bausch • 16 December 2020
Artikel Managing Conflict, Building Peace: Opportunities for Europe and India Crisis management, stabilization and peacebuilding have a huge role to play in boosting greater cooperation between Europe and India in their overlapping neighborhoods. Trainings and joint civil-military missions, including UN missions, offer an opportunity to build practical joint experience. As a key EU member state, Germany should push for increased dialogue and collaboration between India and the EU. Garima Mohan • 13 June 2017
Artikel Moving from Peacekeeping to Prevention at the UN: Opportunities for Europe The UNs new Secretary-General Guterres is keen on pushing his prevention agenda forward, making the UN more agile and cheaper. As a result, the UN is slowly handing over security responsibilities to African actors on the continent. This shift opens up opportunities for European players to revitalize and expand their approach to crisis management. Germany is a potential lynchpin for efforts to pool European resources. Richard Gowan • 11 May 2017
Artikel A New Agenda for Peace: Start with a Look in the Mirror In his speech at FriEnts 15th anniversary on 14 September 2016, Jonathan Cohen asked: How can we make peacebuilding more effective? His answer: Involve locals, broaden peace negotiations, make interventions less securitized and more political and be aware of power relations. Above all, peacebuilders should recognize the political impact of their own actions. Jonathan Cohen • 06 October 2016
Artikel Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis: Youth Is the Key to Peace In the ongoing violent conflict in Cameroon, youth run crucial programs to build peace. In doing so, they face violence from separatist militia and government soldiers who misunderstand their role. Germany should increase its funding for youth-led initiatives, promote the inclusion of youth as key partners for peace and work to protect young Cameroonian peacebuilders. Achaleke Christian Leke • 26 April 2021
Artikel A Comprehensive Understanding of Security Sector Governance Makes for More Effective Reform Germany has shown an increasing interest in and support for security sector reform (SSR) in recent years. It should use its leadership role in the EU’s civilian Common Security and Defense Policy, the fields of Disaster Risk Reduction, and mediation to include them into its programming, thereby promoting a comprehensive approach to security sector governance. Viola Csordas, Camilla Arvastson • 21 April 2020
Veranstaltungsbericht How Stabilization Worked in Iraq, and What the UN Can Learn from it On 18 April 2018, the German Mission to the United Nations in New York hosted a roundtable on success factors of stabilization in Iraq and its lessons for the international community. At the UN, stabilization remains a contentious issue that sparked a lot of interest in the speaker’s conclusions: it’s all about political strategy, international coherence, local leadership and flexibility in deploying funds. PeaceLab editorial team • 20 April 2018
