Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

On 16 October 2016, Stefanos Kassimatis wrote an article  in the Sunday edition of Kathimerini of Professor Tsoukalis’ new book ‘In Defence of Europe’. You can read the article here.

The public perception of the situation of refugees differs from the facts in two key aspects: the overwhelming majority of refugees stay in poor neighbouring countries adjoining their place of origin (86 percent) and they stay there a very long time (17 years on average). Although this has been known for a considerable time, these host countries frequently receive no support and refugees have scarcely any opportunity to establish themselves permanently and integrate into their host communities. As a consequence, thought is increasingly being paid to replacing the typical refugee camps - which are primarily designed for the provision of emergency support for refugees – with longer term approaches in refugee policy.
One example of a successfully integrative refugee policy – and therefore a possible role model for other countries – is that of Uganda. Since 1999 the Ugandan government has pursued an approach of local social and economic integration of refugees. They receive land, are permitted to work and are thus intended to become independent of assistance. This liberal policy is also of benefit to the native population: the enhanced economic dynamic in areas in which many refugees live leads to higher consumption and improved access to public infrastructure for people in neighbouring villages. In particular, they are also able to use the schools and health clinics operated by the aid organisations.
However, the subjective perception of the local population does not reflect these positive developments: they view their economic situation as poorer than people in other areas of Uganda. Local conflicts over land flare up frequently and there are indications that the Ugandan government spends less on the operation of health clinics and the support of poor people in districts with a high refugee presence. Although the government and the aid organisations strive to ensure that none of the groups is worse off than the other and to dismantle prejudices through encounters, the (perceived) competition for resources endures.
The Ugandan experiences and challenges in the support of refugees in Kenya and Jordan underscore the major potential of an integrative refugee policy. The local population can benefit from this and costs are saved in the support of refugees. Four recommendations can be drawn from the analysis for host countries that house large numbers of refugees:

• Building settlements instead of camps and giving refugees the right to work results in an economic dynamism that also benefits the local population in the region.
• This requires good co-ordination between national government and international donors, for example with regard to public services and the allocation of funding.
• To avoid conflicts between refugees and the local population, it is advisable to inform the native citizens of the advantages and encourage interaction between the two groups.

Particular consideration should be given to poor population groups, who should not be disadvantaged by the presence of the refugees. Aid payments should be considered where appropriate.

Präsidentschaftswahlen in den USA können gravierende Folgen für die internationale Ordnung haben. 2016 gilt dies in besonderem Maße, weil mit Donald Trump erstmals ein Kandidat einer großen Partei antritt, der Amerikas traditionelles Rollenverständnis als globaler Ordnungsgarant grundsätzlich in Frage stellt. Ein Sieg Trumps hätte wohl weitreichende Konsequenzen für die Außenpolitik Washingtons, doch mit Veränderungen ist bei jedem Wahlausgang zu rechnen. Die Tatsache, dass in den USA zunehmend Zweifel an der eigenen Rolle in der Welt laut werden, sollte Deutschland veranlassen, sowohl die Beziehungen zu den Vereinigten Staaten als auch den eigenen Beitrag zur Weltordnung neu zu reflektieren.

Lewis Sanders IV

United Nations (UN) member states and the UN development system (UNDS) are in a familiar bind: They have problems that they’ve always wanted to set right but never found the energy for, and as the problems grow, so does the challenge of correcting the wrongs. For decades, member states have discussed the need to establish a system-wide executive authority at the top of the UNDS to keep it functioning. The new “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” makes considering this option more urgent than ever, and the current reform process presents an opportunity to finally make the UNDS “fit for purpose”.
The need to reform and in some way integrate the UNDS is little disputed by member states or experts. With its 34 funds, programmes, specialized agencies and other entities, 1,432 country offices, no effective system-wide coordination and rising levels of earmarked contributions, the UNDS is on an unsustainable trend of fragmentation and “bilateralization” (that is, donors contracting UNDS entities to implement their priorities, marginalising the multilateral framework). In its current form, the UNDS can hardly be expected to play a significant role in the collective effort to transform our world. For this, the UNDS must provide integrated development solutions, acting as one. It must become more efficient, effective and professional. And it must ensure multilateral functions such as the provision of objective knowledge, coordination, long-term orientation and intellectual leadership.
A system-wide executive authority is needed to run the UNDS. The core functions of such an executive authority would be to administer the Resident Coordinator system, draft and monitor a system-wide framework and corresponding financial overview, and act as the “brain” of the UNDS. How could this be implemented? This paper suggests that instead of adding new structures, the existing coordination forum of the UN Development Group (UNDG) should be separated from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and re-organized as the executive authority:

• The position of the UNDG Chair should be transformed into the "High Commissioner for Sustainable Development (HCSD)”, heading the new executive authority.
• The Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) should form the nucleus of the new executive authority’s secretariat and draw additional units and staff from the UNDS.
• Funding should continue to be provided through the UNDG cost-sharing agreement, which should be significantly expanded.
• UNDS members of the Chief Executives Board (CEB) should make up the new executive authority’s board of directors, with the HCSD representing the UNDS in the CEB.
• The specialized agencies should be become quasi-equal members of the UNDS, subject to the same coordination as the funds and programmes, but on the basis of an opt-out mechanism.

Such an executive authority would arguably enhance UNDS performance more than any other reform, with initial costs compensated by increased efficiency. It would amount to an urgently needed investment in higher quality operational activities, winning back the trust of donors and recipients.

Präsidentschaftswahlen in den USA können gravierende Folgen für die internationale Ordnung haben. 2016 gilt dies in besonderem Maße, weil mit Donald Trump erstmals ein Kandidat einer großen Partei antritt, der Amerikas traditionelles Rollenverständnis als globaler Ordnungsgarant grundsätzlich in Frage stellt. Ein Sieg Trumps hätte wohl weitreichende Konsequenzen für die Außenpolitik Washingtons, doch mit Veränderungen ist bei jedem Wahlausgang zu rechnen. Die Tatsache, dass in den USA zunehmend Zweifel an der eigenen Rolle in der Welt laut werden, sollte Deutschland veranlassen, sowohl die Beziehungen zu den Vereinigten Staaten als auch den eigenen Beitrag zur Weltordnung neu zu reflektieren.

Der Kontinent muss geschlossen auftreten, sagte Finanzminister Wolfgang Schäuble bei der Vorstellung der 2. Auflage der Autobiografie Hans-Gert Pötterings.

Auf Initiative der Regierung soll eine „Stiftung für den Islam Frankreichs“ die Beziehungen zwischen laizistischem Land und der Religionsgemeinschaft regeln.

Die Frankfurter Buchmesse gilt als ein kultureller Höhepunkt. Vom 19. Oktober an können sich Besucher dort wieder umsehen. Unsere Empfehlungen...

Autobiografie von Dr. Hans-Gert Pöttering

Eine kontroverse Organisation in einem komplexen politischen Umfeld mit wertvollen Erfahrungen für...

Die wirtschaftliche und politische Entwicklung Asiens zeitigt Chancen und Risiken. Auf der einen Seite wächst das Gewicht der Region in der Weltwirtschaft; auf der anderen Seite ist Asien durch komplexe sicherheitspolitische Herausforderungen in seinen verschiedenen Subregionen gekennzeichnet. Widerstreitende territoriale Ansprüche, Rivalitäten zwischen alten und neuen Großmächten verbunden mit dem Wettlauf um Ressourcen und Einfluss, militante Aufstandsbewegungen ethnischer und religiöser Gruppen sowie eine umfassende konventionelle und nukleare Aufrüstung ergeben unterschiedliche Konfliktkonstellationen in Nordostasien, Südostasien und in Südasien.

Der Band untersucht die verschiedenen Strategien Chinas, Indiens, Indonesiens, Russlands, Japans und der USA zur Verbesserung der regionalen Sicherheit.

Dieses Buch bestellen

Τhe Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) has the pleasure to invite you to a conference on: “Tackling Corruption in Greece and in Europe” - Findings from the ANTICORP Research Project

The event will be held on Monday 24 October 2016, from 09:30 to 14:40, at Aegli Zappeion (Room Olympia, Garden of Zappeion, 105 57 Athens),  in Greek with simultaneous interpretation into English.

Speakers:

- Dia Anagnostou, Assistant professor, Panteion University

- Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Professor, Hertie School of Governance

- Evangelia Psychogiopoulou, Researcher, ELIAMEP; Lawyer, PhD

- Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos, Associate professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Interventions:

- Yannis Androulakis, Lecturer, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

- Maria Gavouneli, Assistant professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

- Thanassis Xiros, Lawyer, PhD

Students will receive a certificate of attendance

RSVP by 20 October 2016

Ms. Nina Papaioannou

Τ: 210 7257111, F: 210 7257114,

e-mail: nina@eliamep.gr

 

Opinión - 17/10/2016
Carlota García Encina
Donald Trump es real. Ahora es el candidato republicano a la presidencia de EEUU en una reñida e inusual campaña electoral. Encontrar, sin embargo, una única explicación al fenómeno del Trumpismo es una tarea imposible.

Eine vergleichende Inhaltsanalyse staatlicher Legitimationsanforderungen an die...