All publications - Security – Innovation – Democracy
Asset Publisher
All publications
Asset Publisher
stock.adobe.com / Jidia
The Ankara Summit and NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood
Partnerships in a Changing Strategic Environment
Ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara, the Alliance’s Southern Neighbourhood is once again expected to feature promi-nently on the political agenda. Türkiye’s role as summit host, renewed regional escalation linked to Iran, and continued instability stemming from the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon have all contributed to increasing Allied attention toward the South and developments affecting partners across the region. However, despite increased attention toward the Southern Neighbourhood and the wider regional crises affecting Allied and partner security, expectations regarding a broader strategic reorientation of NATO toward the South should remain measured.
Louis Bout
June 22, 2026
Country reports
Dimastennis
Ukraine Air War Monitor Vol XVII
Analyses for the Protection of Ukrainian Cities and Infrastructure
The monthly newsletter “Monitor Air War Ukraine” provides in-depth analyses of current waves of attacks and long-term developments in Russia’s air war against Ukraine. It is based on a comprehensive database that has been documenting every recorded airstrike on civilian targets since autumn 2022. The aim is to formulate data-driven recommendations for short- and medium-term support for Ukraine.
The content is intended for political decision-makers, experts in security and military affairs, as well as specialized journalists. The Monitor is published by the Kyiv Dialogue in cooperation with OSINT and data analyst Marcus Welsch and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Marcus Welsch
June 13, 2026
Blickpunkt Ukraine
Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity in Ethiopia
Mapping the Interface
This newly released policy brief, authored by Professor Kinfe Yilma, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law, University of Leeds, provides a timely and insightful analysis of the intersection between artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in Ethiopia.
As Ethiopia accelerates its digital transformation, AI is increasingly reshaping governance, economic activity, and everyday life. The brief offers a critical and forward-looking assessment of both the opportunities and risks associated with these developments. It highlights how technological innovation is advancing in parallel with growing cybersecurity threats, data protection challenges, and risks of misuse.
Importantly, the brief reframes cybersecurity as a fundamental pillar of human security, good governance, and sustainable development. It identifies key gaps in existing policy frameworks, legal regimes, and institutional capacities, underscoring the urgent need for a more coherent and robust response.
Grounded in a human-centered approach, the analysis calls for stronger safeguards, more inclusive governance structures, and enhanced coordination among government, the private sector, and civil society. Through clear and actionable recommendations, the brief provides a practical roadmap for leveraging the benefits of AI while fostering a secure, resilient, and rights-respecting digital ecosystem in Ethiopia.
June 12, 2026
Policy Reports
Maldives Local Council Elections: A Stress Test for Executive Power?
How Local Elections Reshaped the Political Landscape
Examining how the 2026 Maldives Local Council Elections and referendum became a key test of public confidence in government, revealing broader debates over centralisation, governance, and institutional balance.
Andreas Michael Klein, Dessy Hristova
June 11, 2026
Country reports
IMAGO / Xinhua
New government in Latvia: Four-party alliance under Kulbergs
JV remains security policy anchor
On 28 May 2026, the Saeima confirmed the new government under Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs. The 47-year-old businessman, economist and trained car mechanic from the centrist United List (Apvienotais saraksts, AS) takes over the duties of Evika Siliņa (Jaunā Vienotība, JV), whose cabinet collapsed on May 14 over a dispute over the replacement of the defense ministry after several drone incidents, including the impact on an oil storage facility in mid-May. President Edgars Rinkēvičs then tasked Kulbergs with forming a government. The new prime minister promises an "effective, professional and accountable government" and describes himself as a "realist". Kulbergs leads a four-party coalition.
Oliver Morwinsky
May 29, 2026
Country reports
AI and the Future of Digital Governance: Advancing Public Service Transformation in 2025
The proceedings on key discussions, policy insights, and challenges surrounding the transition toward digital government in the age of AI
The proceedings consolidate the key findings and discussions from the academic seminar entitled “AI and the Future of Digital Government: Advancing Public Service Standards 2025,” organised by the Institute of Democratization Studies on 24 November 2025, with support from KAS Thailand. They explored the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms in strengthening state capacity, enhancing public-service delivery, and advancing digital governance in Thailand. Bringing together perspectives from policymakers, local authorities, and public-governance experts, the seminar particularly highlighted the cases of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Nakhon Sawan Municipality, reflecting both the innovative potential and the structural limitations of Thailand’s ongoing digital transformation.
May 21, 2026
Single title
KALUZA+SCHMID
The Quiet Driver of Economic Success
Competition Policy with Backbone and Reform Ambition
Effective competition is a key prerequisite for Europe’s economic renewal, as it strengthens resilience and innovation. The study develops a three-part framework for policy action: the first part highlights the role of competition policy in strengthening democracy, safeguarding an open market order, and ensuring the integrity of the EU Single Market. The second part analyses the role of competition policy in times of geopolitical and economic disruption and industrial policy challenges. The third part formulates recommendations for the application and further development of competition law.
Jens-Uwe Franck, Martin Peitz
May 18, 2026
Single title
IMAGO/alterphotos
"A People Determined to Be Free Cannot be Stopped"
An Interview with María Corina Machado
At the beginning of 2026, the US intervened militarily in Venezuela, taking strongman Nicolás Maduro out of the country. However, the authoritarian regime in Caracas remained largely intact, now under the leadership of Delcy Rodríguez. Opposition leader María Corina Machado had been excluded from the 2024 presidential election by Maduro. Edmundo González, at that moment something of a political nobody and the candidate who ran in her place – nevertheless clearly won the election. However, the regime falsified the result and retained de facto power. Machado – who had been living in hiding in her own country – managed to leave Venezuela covertly, travelled to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the end of 2025, and has been living in exile ever since. In this interview with International Reports, conducted on 8 May 2026, Machado talks about the situation in her country, what should happen next, and why this also concerns us in Germany and Europe.
Dr. Sören Soika
May 11, 2026
International Reports
KAS
Ukraine, Nuclear Deterrence, and the New Proliferation Dynamic
Study
This publication explains why the global nuclear non-proliferation regime is coming under increasing pressure. As international norms and security guarantees lose credibility, debates over nuclear options are intensifying across different regions of the world.
Drawing on the cases of Ukraine, South Korea, and beyond, the study analyses the drivers of these developments and their global implications. It highlights why strengthening international norms and maintaining trust in the rules-based order are critical to preventing a new wave of nuclear proliferation.
Joshua R. Kroeker
May 6, 2026
Blickpunkt Ukraine
NATO, June 15, 2021 / flickr.com
Ukraine Air War Monitor Vol XVI
Analyses for the Protection of Ukrainian Cities and Infrastructure
The monthly newsletter “Monitor Air War Ukraine” provides in-depth analyses of current waves of attacks and long-term developments in Russia’s air war against Ukraine. It is based on a comprehensive database that has been documenting every recorded airstrike on civilian targets since autumn 2022. The aim is to formulate data-driven recommendations for short- and medium-term support for Ukraine.
The content is intended for political decision-makers, experts in security and military affairs, as well as specialized journalists. The Monitor is published by the Kyiv Dialogue in cooperation with OSINT and data analyst Marcus Welsch and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
