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This work explores ecological and climate-related threats to Afghanistan and discusses support approaches from a European Crisis Management (ECM) perspective. It goes beyond the much-debated troop withdrawal, COVID-19 crisis and peace negotiations and opens an underestimated topic: 'Climate Change Assistance'. The article aims to advance knowledge on the effects of climate change on human security in Afghanistan and advocates a conflict-sensitive approach. To this end, a climate-related assessment of the human security situation was undertaken and several threat scenarios, options and solutions for enhancing state resilience were developed. The bases for this research were several field trips undertaken by the author since 2004, workshops and an extensive literature review. As a result, it can be stated that the negative impacts of climate change and pollution on Afghanistan's security and development architecture are massive and make ECM efforts very complex. However, several capacity-building initiatives for military, diplomatic, humanitarian and local stakeholders were identified. On the regional level, this includes the support for early warning systems and hydro-diplomacy with Pakistan, Iran and India. On the local level, the support for community water management and environmental protection matters, while building upon traditional Afghan mechanisms for handling water crises or disasters. Another outcome is the need for more in-depth research in this field as some findings are also useful for other fragile states. The paper argues that there is an urgent need for ECM to respond to the devastating effects of climate change in Afghanistan and identifies several smart opportunities to tackle some root causes of the conflict.

The international debate on civil-military interaction and coordination efforts in international crisis management has increased substantially since the beginning of the military intervention in Afghanistan in 2001. Only by 2006 had it become clear that lacking "success stories" made international organisations, states and especially military actors ambitious with regard to comprehensive approaches (CA). The basic idea behind CA is to include most of the relevant actors at different levels in a structural manner to improve the impact of external engagement. However, the impact of this new strategy has not yielded sufficient results so far on the ground and appears hard to implement. At least the interaction between civilian, military and local components and the division of tasks can potentially be improved by increasing and improving communication. Instruments to achieve synergy effects from planning to implementation are at an early stage and the "peace dividend" as an added value for the local population is still missing. The political, conceptual and practical obstacles to implement CA are enormous. This article examines various levels of interaction, civil-military interfaces, indicators and the respective outcome derived from the engagement in Afghanistan in order to propose an analysis model for CA. This could contribute to the feasibility of future innovative CA concepts with regard to other conflict scenarios. (S+F/Pll)

Der Autor beschreibt sicherheitspolitische und ökonomische Motive der UN, der USA und der EU für die Intervention in Afghanistan. Er geht ein auf völkerrechtliche Rahmenbedingungen, übergeordnete Stabilisierungsziele und Gesamtstrategien und arbeitet Ziele und Mittel der regionalen und internationalen Akteure heraus. "Provincial Reconstruction Teams" (PRT) werden als Teil des militärischen Konfliktmanagements und hinsichtlich ihrer Beziehung zu den anderen beteiligten Akteure NGOs und Regierung ausführlich behandelt. Als Bilanz des internationalen Konfliktmanagements stellt der Autor u.a. fest: "Nach vierjährigem Engagement der internationalen Hauptakteure CF, UNAMA und ISAF schwankt die Konfliktintensität in Afghanistan stark. Keine Provinz befindet sich in einem permanenten Kriegszustand, doch kommt es immer wieder zu Scharmützeln, Überfällen und willkürlicher Gewaltanwendung. So stellt sich die Sicherheitslage im Lande äußerst unterschiedlich dar, findet doch gleichzeitig Krieg und Wiederaufbau statt."Den integrierten zivil-militärischen Strukturen und Instrumenten gehört bei der Bewältigung von Krisen in Post-Konflikt-Situationen die Zukunft. Dabei müssen diese integrierten Instrumente nicht unbedingt die Form von PRTs annehmen. Der Kernbereich sollte aber im Regelfall aus einem verschränkten zivil-militärischen Element bestehen. Eine Bewertung der Effektivität der PRTs zum gegenwärtigen Zeitpunkt ist schwierig, da Gewaltakte viel sichtbarer sind als langsam voranschreitende Entwicklungsprozesse. Insbesondere fehlt weitgehend die Möglichkeit, Erfolge in der PRT-Wiederaufbauarbeit zu messen, da es in Afghanistan praktisch keine statistische Erfassung von Daten gab und gibt Längerfristig wird es aber zweifelsohne notwendig sein, die verschiedenen PRT-Ansätze in eine kohärente Gesamtstrategie einzubinden, insbesondere, da weitere Staaten PRTs in Afghanistan planen. PRT-Entsendekonzepte sollten daher zukünftig unter Einbindung aller Beteiligten entwickelt werden. Durch das Engagement der ISAF geht es mit dem Statebuilding im Raum Kabul und in einigen Provinzen zwar sehr langsam und mühsam, aber doch stetig bergauf. (LO)

Europe is increasingly confronted with China's footprint in different geostrategic spaces. This publication offers analysis on major competitive dynamics. Accordingly, the team of the Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management (IFK) examines soft power outreach, economic facts, socio-economic trends and monetary policy in tandem with military capacities. Six authors provide analysis for their areas of expertise, covering a wide geographical range. In addition, four authors explore strategic narratives shaping China's current foreign policy, in order to make the political moves of a new global power easier to understand. What are the strategic convergence points for the EU in a competitive environment or rival setting with Beijing? The present volume highlights this crucial question, but also addresses options for cooperation.