Enhancement initiative of the federal government

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The Federal Government's training initiative is an instrument of German security policy and is jointly managed by the Federal Ministry of Defense and the Foreign Office . It was launched in 2015 as an instrument in networked security . It takes account of the challenges that have had a lasting impact on the security of Europe and Germany since the beginning of this decade in the arc of conflict from northwest Africa to the Caspian Sea. At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, Germany and Europe are facing a growing number of internal and external threats and crises. In order to cope with them, Germany relies, among other things, on the fitness initiative. It serves to strengthen partners (partner states, regional organizations) and relies on "preventive measures in order to defuse conflicts and crises as early as possible and to permanently balance conflicts of interests."

The Federal Government's training initiative is based on the approaches of " helping people to help themselves " and "partnership relationships on an equal footing."

The most prominent official document is the Federal Government's White Paper from 2016.

The upgrading initiative came into force on November 18, 2015 when the framework agreement was signed by State Secretaries Katrin Suder and Walter Johannes Lindner .

In 2016, 100 million euros were available to the upgrading initiative in section 60 of the federal budget ; in 2017 it was already 130 million euros. In the years 2016 to 2018, with over 130 completed projects with a cross-departmental budget volume of around 230 million euros, it can boast a number of successes.

Security policy instruments

The Federal Government's Enhancement Initiative is the latest instrument from the range of instruments listed in the “Strategic Guideline for the Design of Bi- and Multilateral Partnerships” from July 2017. These include, among other things, bilateral annual programs (JP), military training aid (MAH), military advisors , equipment aid program of the federal government (AH-P), state taxes (LA), Defense Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI) (NATO), capacity building in Support of Security and Development (CBSD) (EU).

The fitness initiative is applied on several levels. It assumes that local actors can resolve local conflicts better and more sustainably than external actors. That is why it wants to help people to help themselves: States or organizations that can contribute to stability in unstable regions should be trained and empowered to do so. In addition to the training and education of civilian and military personnel, the German concept also includes equipment. If necessary, these can also be weapons. This dimension of "training" is linked to the idea of ​​military training and equipment aid (MAH) or state taxes (LA), but goes beyond that. While the equipment aid expressly excludes the delivery of weapons and ammunition, the equipment of the partners within the framework of the retrofitting initiative can include non-lethal, lethal and dual-use goods.

Enhancement projects

Enhancement projects can include consulting, training and equipment, civil or military, with military equipment primarily meaning equipment and machines. However, weapons and ammunition are not expressly excluded. However, all legal requirements and mechanisms for arms control apply. Upgrading projects always aim to upgrade the partner's security sector ( security sector reform ).

The Federal Republic is pursuing this approach not only bilaterally, but also within international organizations and alliances. This includes the measures of the European Union and NATO for capacity building as well as the agreement of the G7 at the summit in Germany in 2015 to want to jointly fight terrorism in Tunisia, Nigeria and Iraq.

The projects are tailor-made and geared towards the needs of the various partners.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Federal Ministry of Defense: White Paper on Security Policy and the Future of the Bundeswehr . Berlin 2016, p. 52 .
  2. ↑ Foreign Office, Federal Ministry of Defense: Framework agreement for the training of partners in the field of security, defense and stabilization . 18th November 2015.
  3. ↑ Federal Minister of Defense: Strategic guideline for structuring and (ad-hoc) cooperation in the business area of ​​the Federal Ministry of Defense . 19th July 2017.
  4. ↑ Federal Ministry of Defense: White Paper on Security Policy and the Future of the Bundeswehr . Berlin 2016, p. 52 .