Germany has gained in political importance due to its economic strength. Germany’s neighbours and allies expect Berlin to provide leadership and orientation in foreign policy. Germany does need a culture of discussing strategic matters. Through our work relating to matters of security policy at a national and international level we are making a contribution to enhancing the strategic capability of German foreign policy.

by Gerhard Wahlers

The protection of global public goods as a challenge for German security policy

Germany’s economic prosperity depends on access to raw materials, goods and ideas. All goods and knowledge must traverse unprotected transport routes – the “global commons”. These comprise the four “public spaces”: the high seas, the atmosphere, outer space and cyberspace. Even geographically remote conflicts pose challenges for Germany’s security policy.

by Julian Voje

The nexus between security and resources

For Brazil, the state with the longest coastline along the South Atlantic, the discovery of significant deposits of oil and gas in the continental shelf’s pre-salt layers has generated new interests and triggered new concerns. Through bilateral cooperation the Brazilian government intends to build defense cooperation along the South Atlantic’s perimeter. Brazil thereby includes Western African countries in the military cooperation.

by Adriana Erthal Abdenur, Danilo Marcondes

Islamist threats and regional solutions

In 2014, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force’s (ISAF) combat mission in Afghanistan is due to end. Yet the region remains relatively stable as the fight against the ISAF troops and the Pakistani military has exhausted the capacities of the jihadists. Though a possible increase in Islamism in Central Asia is not the automatic result of the withdrawal of ISAF troops from Afghanistan, such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

by Thomas Kunze, Michail Logvinov

Transfer of power in Georgia

With the parliamentary elections in 2012 and the presidential elections in October 2013, Georgia has passed the test of democracy twice over. Georgia thereby consolidates its special position as a democratic country in a region where most political systems can hardly be considered solid democracies. The new government tries to normalize the relationship with Russia and integrate into NATO at the same time.

by Canan Atilgan, Davit Aprasidze

The considerable numbers of votes the far-right party commonly known as Jobbik has attracted in elections, attacks on Roma people and the open anti-Semitism of some Members of Parliament have generated negative headlines about Hungary throughout Europe in recent years. By contrast, there has been little sign of left-wing extremism. The strength of the right-wing as well as the weakness of the left-wing extremists can be attributed the experience Hungary made with almost half a century of communism and nostalgia for Hungary’s former glory play a role.

by Frank Spengler, Mark Alexander Friedrich