Issues

Rise and Fall of Regional Powers

A constant struggle for power and influence between states has always figured among the main characteristics of international politics. Regional powers can be considered the middle management of world politics: sufficiently powerful to make their mark on the region and take on a political and economic leadership role, but not yet or no longer powerful enough to be able to fill this role at the global level as well. Accordingly, the latest issue of International Reports deals with the topic "Rise and Fall of Regional Powers".

Climate. Energy. Security.

The fight against climate change is not merely a question of ecological necessity but a question of economic reason. It is a question of generational equity, a question of compassion and a question of humanity and its future. These are the aspects Angela Merkel reminded her audience of when she addressed the 21st UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) at the end of 2015. Accordingly, the latest issue of International Reports deals with the topic "Climate. Energy. Security.".

The Globalisation of Terrorism

Preserving that which is worth preserving does not mean cementing the status quo. Anyone seeking to preserve something valuable in the long term must improve it cautiously, yet continuously. This applies as equally to politics as it does to a publication such as International Reports (IR), which is presenting itself in a new form in this issue with its focus on the "Globalisation of Terrorism".

Auslandsinformationen 2015 (Jahresregister)

Europe in Crisis

When we began planning this issue in mid-August last year, the third bailout package for Greece had just been approved and Europeans were on tenterhooks about the “euro crisis”, a term that had come to symbolise the financial and debt crisis. Hardly anyone would have thought at that time that the EU could enter a totally different crisis within just a few weeks – a crisis of unprecedented magnitude.

"Small" States in International Politics

Helmut Kohl once expressed one of the fundamental principles of his European policy as follows: “The small countries in the European Union deserve as much respect as the large ones. The significance of a Member State cannot be measured by the size of its population or the square kilometers it occupies.” While Kohl was concerned with Europe, of course the principle applies beyond its borders.

Towards a New Development Agenda

How many refugees can and should Germany accept? How can an equitable sharing of the burden in Europe be organised? And what will be the consequences of the influx of hundreds of thousands of people on the cohesion of the societies affected? These are just some of the many questions that are currently occupying the minds of politicians, businesspeople and society in Germany and Europe in equal measure. However, there is another aspect that is not receiving much attention and that Chancellor Merkel therefore made a point of emphasising during a speech on the occasion of the UN Development Summit in New York.

International Reports 8/2015

The world is complicated and full of contradictions, which occasionally forces people to relinquish supposed certainties and revise old prejudices. There are also prejudices circulating vis-à-vis Africa. Former German President Horst Köhler once referred to this succinctly when he said: "Where Africa is concerned, many people think mainly of words beginning with a "c": crises, conflict, catastrophes, chronic diseases, corruption…". Of course, this is only half the truth.

Security Policy and Resolution of Crises

Assuming responsibility in the world cannot be limited to the military sphere. Of course Germany must be prepared to fulfil its responsibilities towards its allies and deploy soldiers if the need arises. In light of the international threats, Germany must not abdicate its responsibilities in this area. But assuming responsibility means more than that.

Contemporary Conflicts and Value-Driven Policy

Along its southern and eastern periphery, in the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, the European Union is confronted with violent conflicts, which also have implications for the future of Germany and Europe. The situation is reflected not least in the current refugee crisis, which is putting the EU member states severely to the test. The war in Ukraine represents one further situation where solidarity is required. In this context, the European partners are called upon to support the government in Kiev in implementing its political and economic reforms.