Pioneering the Comprehensive Approach: How Germany’s Partners do it Dr. Andreas Wittkowsky / LTC Ulrich Wittkampf | ZIF Analysis Partnership for Peace

Pioneering the Comprehensive Approach:

How Germany’s Partners do it

Dr. Andreas Wittkowsky / LTC Ulrich Wittkampf | ZIF Analysis

Partnership for Peace Workshop | Bratislava, 03 July 2013

Overview

Dr. Andreas Wittkowsky / LTC Ulrich Wittkampf Center for International Peace Operations

1. Implementing the Comprehensive Approach

Assessments and Debates in Germany

2. How Germany’s Partners Do It

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

USA

Sweden


Pro: The glass is almost full!

Germany is far ahead in implementing the Compre- hensive Approach.

Ministries promote comprehensive action by means of personnel rotation, liaison officers, common activities, joint trainings. Further improvements are possible but there are clear limits of what a comprehensive approach can achieve.

Contra: The glass is fairly empty!

Germany falls far behind of what would be possible. Achievements are fairly modest with a high input of resources.

In spite of all rhetorical changes, Ministries stick maximally to stove piping, which hinders working level cooperation.

There is no political will to engage substantive amounts of resources in the development of more efficient

forms of comprehensive action.

1 | The State of Affairs in Germany: Opinions

1 | Consensus

Progress, in particular caused by peace operations in Balkans, Afghanistan.

Ad hoc cooperation often pragmatic and good.

Broad demand for leadership and common purpose.

Lack of political guidance and implementing concepts.

Challenge to link up national and international levels.


1 | Contested Issues

What is further enabling comprehensive action?

Optimized intra-agency clearance? liaison, interfaces, procedures, networking?

Joint institutions? inter-ministerial units, task forces

Joint instruments? common strategies, funds, assessments, evaluations

joint trainings, skills and knowledge

Center for International Peace OperationsDr. Andreas Wittkowsky / LTC Ulrich Wittkampf

1 | Core Topic: Managing Networks

How do we conceive leadership in complex networks?

By trawling …

… or by enabling self-organizing drift?


UK: Yes, we can!

The Netherlands: Let’s do it!

Sweden: March separately, strike together

USA: Elevating civilian power

2 | Partner Countries’ Approaches


Partners put different emphasis in developing further the CA …

2 | Partner Countries: Variety of Approaches


• GBR: system of strategies, guidelines and evaluations; regular adjustments of instruments and institutions; Stabilisation Unit as cross-governmental center of competency.

• NLD: culture of pragmatic cooperation; informal, institutionalized networking on the highest policy levels.

• SWE: improvement of coordinated division of labor; maintenance of separate roles in the field.

• USA: elevating civilian power to par with Pentagon resources; in support of global leadership role.

… but also show communalities:

Political will to find an optimum between integrating and coordinating activities, under active involvement of the highest political level.

Overarching national security strategies or sub-strategies which provide guidance for implementing the comprehensive approach and for developing further its institutional architecture.

Joint inter-agency units which facilitate comprehensive activities.

Joint conflict analyses and strategic planning in order to improve coherent comprehensive action and an effective division of labor.

Joint funds which provide incentives and flexibility for joint efforts.


2 | Partner Countries: Cross-cutting issues

That’s all, folks !

(almost)

a) | UK: Yes, we can!

„Integrated Approach“: Joint institutions

Stabilisation Unit of DfID, FCO, MoD (2004):

Assessment missions, evaluations, trainings. Civilian Stabilisation Group (ca. 1.000 men and women).

Governed by Building Stability Overseas Board.

Since 2010: National Security Council (meets weekly).


a) | UK: Yes, we can!

„Integrated Approach“: Joint instruments

National Security Strategy.

Building Stability Overseas Strategy (2011).

Guidance for an Integrated Approach to Strategic Planning for conflict and Stability (2012).

Joint Assessments on Conflict and Stability.

Conflict Pool for cross-governmental conflict transformation projects.

Regular reviews and evaluations.


„Comprehensive Approach“: Joint institutions

MFA unites diplomacy, development and foreign trade.

Coordinator for Security Issues / Comprehensive Approach (MFA).

Inter-agency working groups on acute conflicts.

Steering Group on Military Operations(weekly informal meetings: directors for foreign affairs, development, defence, office of the PM, chief of general staff).

Steering Group on Civilian Missions(quarterly informal meetings: directors as above plus directors for economy, finance, justice).

b) | Netherlands: Let's do it!


„Comprehensive Approach“: Joint instruments

National Security Strategy in progress.

Guideline on the Comprehensive Approach in progress.

HGIS (Homogeneous Group of International Cooperation) as inter-ministerial budget frame.


b) | Netherlands: Let's do it!

„Comprehensive Approach“: Joint institutions

National Security Council.

Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (Department of State).

monitoring of 55 fragile states. concentration of activities on 6 fragile states.

Civilian Response Corps comprised of staff from 9 ministries. NB: DoD has an additional Civilian Expeditionary Workforce.

c) | USA: Elevating Civilian Power


„Comprehensive Approach“: Joint instruments

National Security Strategy.

Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review.

launched in 2010 through Department of State and USAID. goal: strengthening the civilian contribution to conflict management.

Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework.

Mission Strategic Resource Plans of US Embassies.

Joint Funds DoS-USAID and DoD-DoS.

c) | USA: Elevating Civilian Power


„Allomfattande ansats“: Joint institutions

MFA unites diplomacy, development and foreign trade.

Regular meetings of state secretaries on international crisis management (every 2-3 weeks).

Joint Council on Missions and Operations(monthly, includes the relevant ministries and implementing agencies).

Specific inter-agency working groups.

d) | Sweden: March separately, strike together


„Allomfattande ansats“: Joint instruments

National Strategy for Swedish Participation in International Peace-Support and Security-Building Operations (2008).

Guidance Operationalizing the allomfattande ansats.

Policy for Security and Development in Swedish Development Cooperation 2012-14 Separation of military and civilian roles.

Afghanistan-Strategy (2010) as only overarching country strategy.

d) | Sweden: March separately, strike together


Documents

Pioneering the Comprehensive Approach: How Germany’s Partners do it Dr. Andreas Wittkowsky / LTC Ulrich Wittkampf | ZIF Analysis Partnership for Peace