Conferences / Events
AFGHANISTAN-Konferenz-Programm[PDF-Datei]
International Afghanistan Conference in Hamburg
Dr Hans-Georg Ehrhart (Head ZEUS/IFSH), Prof Charles Pentland (Queen’s Centre for International Relations, Kingston/Ca) and Prof Sven Gareis (German Command and Staff College/FüAkBw) organized an international conference on Afghanistan on 25 and 26 March 2010. The event was funded by NATO’s Public Diploamacy Devision. More than 40 participants with various professional backgrounds (International Organisations, think tanks, armed forces, policy, NGOs, media) attended the conference and discussed in seven panels the overall topic “Security Governance by comprehensive approach? NATO ant the international community at the Afghan crossroads”. In the first panel chaired by Hans-Georg Ehrhart (IFSH) representatives of NATO (Mihai Carp)and the UN (Eckard Schiewek) presented the respective approaches. By this it became clear that an effective cooperation is being undermined by the logics of the differing concepts (reintegration versus reconciliation). The second panel (chaired by Dr Axel Krohn, speakers: Marina Laker, Canadian Embassy, and Prof Sven Gareis, FüAkBw) dealt with the comprehensive approach and its implementation. While Canada made this approach work by consequent structural reforms and strong political will Germany is still struggling to make its concept of networked security work on the ground. The third panel was chaired by Klaus Schreiner (GTZ) (panelists: Richard Roy, Canadian Forces, and Dr Jochen Hippler, INEF) dealt with the problems of counterinsurgency (COIN). The conditions for effective COIN and the similarities with complex peace support operations were debated. COIN should not be misunderstood as a mere technical problem because it is political in the first place. In the hub of each COIN operation is the question of legitimacy of the government. The fourth panel was chaired by Martin Kipping (BMZ) (panelists: Robert Lindner, Oxfam, and Citha Maass, SWP). In this panel it was emphasized that humanitarian actors cannot partner with the military in an integrationist sense. There should be a clear delineation of and respect for the different competences and logics of action. However, joint planning and the concentration on comparative advantages could be strived for. The fifth panel (Chair: Captain (Navy) ret. Heinz-Dieter Jopp, ISZA, panelists: Prof Mark Sedra, Waterloo University, and Dr Eva Gross, Free University of Brussels) broached the issue of security sector reform. The state of military and policy reform were presented and the implementation of NATO’s and the EU’s SSR policy were critically reviewed. The role of Pakistan was the main issue dealt with in the sixth panel (Chair: PD Dr Stefan Bayer, FüAkBw; panelists: PD Dr Wolfgang Wagner, SWP, and Prof Julian Schofield, Concordia University). The panelists presented the historic background and the actual challenges Pakistan is facing as well as the socio-economic conditions of its relation with Afghanistan and the special role of the Pakistani army. The final panel chaired by Prof Charles Pentland (QCIR) (panelists: Consul General Karen E. Johnes, USA, and Timo Christians, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, and General ret. Helmut Ganser) dealt with challenges and lessons for NATO and the international community. One of them was that the “West” should stick to its own norms, another that development cooperation in a COIN environment is very problematic. This led to the conclusion that more time should be invested on strategy building and that politicians should be more cautious with regard to decisions implicating the use of military force.
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