Stabilization (politics)

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In foreign and security policy, stabilization stands for a reaction by third countries to the collapse of state systems and far-reaching violent conflicts. Stabilization missions in crisis areas or fragile states are based on a civil-military approach and are therefore often associated with the terms comprehensive approach or networked security .

In the guidelines "Preventing crises, managing conflicts, promoting peace" issued in 2017, the term stabilization is used for the first time in a basic document of German foreign and security policy as the Federal Government's approach to dealing with violent conflicts.

According to Philipp Reder et al. "Stabilization [...] is a process that links civil, police and military means within the framework of a political strategy, flexibly and specifically addresses conflicts in order to reduce violence, quickly noticeably improve the living conditions of the population and create the conditions for sustainable development and peace" . According to this, stabilization is to be understood as an approach to promoting peace in a situation of acute conflict escalation.

The central logic of the effects of stabilization lies in creating the ability to shape politics in crisis areas via a so-called peace dividend. Local parties to the conflict are offered specific incentives to stop violent conflict resolution in favor of non-violent political processes of conflict resolution.

With the establishment of the “Crisis Prevention, Stabilization and Post-Conflict Follow-up” department, the Federal Foreign Office has greatly expanded its capabilities in the field of stabilization. This new organizational structure in the Federal Foreign Office is the result of the review of all foreign policy instruments and principles as part of the 2014 Review carried out by then Foreign Minister Steinmeier. This process is a reaction of the Federal Government to the numerous crises and conflicts around the world and goes hand in hand with Germany's claim to be more To take responsibility in international peace and security policy. A current example of German stabilization measures in a crisis context is the cross-departmental commitment of the federal government in Iraq.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Federal Government (Ed.): Preventing crises, managing conflicts, promoting peace. Federal Government guidelines. Berlin 2017.
  2. ↑ Philipp Reder, Sven Schneider, Robin Schroeder: What does stabilization mean? An impulse for the foreign and security policy debate in Germany. In: Journal for Foreign and Security Policy . No. 8 , November 4, 2015, p. 475-481 ( springerprofessional.de ).
  3. ^ Andreas Wittkowsky: Stabilization: Cross-sectional task to overcome acute violent conflicts. In: ZIF Policy Briefing. June 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Philipp Reder, Sven Schneider, Robin Schroeder: Stabilization in acute crises: Strategic, independent and complementary. In: Peacelab2016 Blog. February 13, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Crisis prevention, stabilization, post-conflict rehabilitation and humanitarian aid. Federal Foreign Office, January 10, 2018, accessed June 19, 2018 .
  6. ↑ Gunther Hartwig: The Foreign Office builds on better crisis prevention. In: Südwest Presse. September 16, 2015, accessed June 19, 2018 .
  7. ↑ Steinmeier is rebuilding the Foreign Office. In: Spiegel Online. February 25, 2015, accessed June 19, 2018 .
  8. ↑ Review 2014 - Foreign Policy Thinking ahead. Federal Foreign Office, May 12, 2014, accessed June 19, 2018 .
  9. ↑ Ekkehard Brose: Not with the sword alone. Successes and Problems of the New Stabilization Policy in Iraq. In: International Politics . No. 6 , 2016, p. 101-107 ( dgap.org ).