Dialogue with the Gulf-States about Foreign- and Security Policy - Regional Programme Gulf States
Event Reports
As one of the main partners of the Regional Program Gulf-States in Abu Dhabi the ECSSR works as a think tank primarily in foreign and security policy and is one of the leading research institutions in the Arabian Gulf.
The week-long trip was mainly for the purpose to strengthen the contacts with similar institutions in Germany, with policy makers and last but not least with the KAS.
The first part of the trip in Munich was connected with a visit to the University of the Bundeswehr (the German Army) and was all about a scientific debate on concepts of international security policy.
The subsequent stay in Berlin was deeper dedicated of both insights into the structures of political consulting in Germany and in the work of German foreign and security policymakers. The participants had the option to meet beside the experts of the "Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)” also members of parliament, senior officials of the Foreign Office, the Federal Chancellery and the Ministry of Defense. During that meeting, they discussed inter alia current issues and perspectives in the fight against terrorism and strategic implications of German foreign and security policy.
In a conversation with Dr. Hardy Ostry, Head of the Team Africa / Middle East, who welcomed the group in the Headquarter of KAS, the participants analyzed the current security situation in the Gulf region and the enhanced bilateral cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Germany. Meanwhile Dr. Michael Lange, head of foreign and security policy Department introduced the concept of "networked security" to the Emirati delegation.