Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi)

💸 NEW POLICY BRIEF | “A Growing Gap: EU Peace and Security Funding Beyond Ukraine”   Ursula von der Leyen’s proposed team is still being vetted by the European Parliament. But one thing is already clear: the new Commission will need to do something about the gap that has opened up in the EU’s funding for peace and security. ❓ Which gap, you ask? In a new policy brief, GPPi’s Abi Watson and Julia Friedrich detail how the EU’s complicated funding architecture and recent events have produced a situation in which there is very little money left for programs in conflict-affected countries that aren’t Ukraine. ❓ Where does this gap come from? As Abi and Julia explain, there are a couple of reasons: 1️⃣ While there are flexible pots for peace and security challenges within the EU’s funding architecture, these are all but spent. As one independent study notes, “the succession of severe global or regional crises” the EU has faced since 2021 have been “weathered but [have] depleted the EU’s flexible funding sources.” 2️⃣ Most other EU funds are long-term and not meant to be mobilized quickly. So they can’t be quickly deployed in the face of emerging crises – of which there are many. 3️⃣ The Commission’s flagship Global Gateway initiative could be an important development tool, but related investments require security and predictability. These are not common conditions in contexts affected by disasters, violence and war. So countries where the political situation is volatile rarely meet the criteria for receiving much-needed investments under the Global Gateway. ❓ Why does it matter? This funding gap will exacerbate conflicts and crises which directly threaten EU interests. And these conflicts won’t simply go away, meaning we should expect the gap to grow even larger – unless the new EU Commission tackles the problem head on. ❓ What should the EU do about it? The good news is: it's not too late. The new EU Commission has several options, from reallocating money to the existing or new flexible instrument for the 2025-2027 period, to finding a better budget logic for the next mid-term budget for 2028-2034. But to do any of this, there should be a clearly articulated recognition that the EU needs to prioritize strategic investments in peace and security, not just in its neighborhood but also beyond.   ➡ For more, read the full brief: https://lnkd.in/d2Gmy-Vm

Worrying data from the #AcademicFreedomIndex, a tool co-developed by SAR, the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, and the V-Dem Institute, shows #academicfreedom in decline across the world. This decline is true in authoritarian countries like #Russia and #Nicaragua, as well as in democratic countries like #India and the #UnitedStates. Read why in #Free2Think2024:  https://lnkd.in/eiurgtFr 

Really looking forward to Season 2 of our already-legendary event series "Ideas of ..."! This time, we'll explore and critically examine the ideas we hold about energy – why it matters, why it's so political, and how it shapes contemporary domestic and foreign policy. E1: First up, a deep dive into "Energy and Democratic Politics" with the brilliant Andrea Binder (Freie Universität Berlin, https://lnkd.in/dBssgx_k). 📍 Where: Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) 📆 When: Nov 14, from 19:00 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/dJV8MrJp Hope you can join us and our co-conspirators (shoutout to Max Krahé & Philippa Sigl-Glöckner at Dezernat Zukunft - Institut für Makrofinanzen). And here's a preview of the rest: ⚡ E2: Energy and Justice: with Andreas C. Goldthau, December 2024 ⚡ E3: Energy and War and Peace: with Helen Thompson, January 2025 ⚡ E4: Energy and Prices: with Brett Christophers, Spring 2025 ⚡ E5: Energy and Climate Change: with Anders Levermann, Summer 2025 More info about the series: https://lnkd.in/dgxK8qYN

Next week, #BRICS leaders will gather in the Russian city of Kazan for their annual summit – the first one since the group expanded its circle of members last year. And the stakes are high. The Kazan summit will be a critical test of BRICS' capacity to sustainably grow, deliver on its ambition to pioneer a new form of multilateralism, and unite the countries of the “global majority,” writes Mihaela Papa of MIT Center for International Studies (CIS) in a new #ENSURED policy brief. So far, Mihaela explains, the group's record on effecting systemic global governance reforms has been limited. However, BRICS has also proven that it can jointly create non-Western development institutions and is now exploring an ambitious coordination agenda on monetary policy. Here's what to watch out for next week: 1. Implications of the new expanded BRICS format; 2. Potential progress on monetary cooperation; 3. The group's intentions re: engagement with the Middle East and Palestinian statehood in particular; 4. Signals regarding further enlargement and prospective new members. ➡ For more on the summit and why the EU in particular should play close attention, read the full brief: https://lnkd.in/dA3bAisv

Heute trifft Wolodymyr #Selenskyj in Berlin ein – und das Timing könnte kaum kritischer sein. Denn in der deutschen Bevölkerung bröckelt die Unterstützung für die #Ukraine-Politik. Höchste Zeit für mehr Ehrlichkeit und klare Ansagen im politischen Berlin, schreibt Thorsten Benner. 👇 #Diplomatie #Sicherheitspolitik #UkraineWar

Zum Selenskyj-Besuch in Berlin morgen mein Stück zur deutschen Ukraine-Debatte heute in Internationale Politik In der Bevölkerung bröckelt die Unterstützung für die Ukraine-Politik. Viele im politischen Berlin machen den Kanzler verantwortlich – doch das greift zu kurz. Gerade die stärksten Unterstützer der Ukraine sollten auch eigene Versäumnisse in den Blick nehmen. Freue mich auf die kritische Diskussion. Wird wahrscheinlich kaum einen so richtig umfassend glücklich machen -- vielleicht ist das ein gutes Zeichen. https://lnkd.in/ea8gEi4h

📌 Today, the College of Europe in Natolin, Poland hosts #REUNIR Expert Workshop, gathering top researchers and leaders to explore emerging security threats and the role of the #EU in addressing them. 📌 Throughout the day, we engage in critical discussions on threat assessments, focusing on the instruments available to malicious third states and their potential use against candidate countries. Our work package leaders present key findings from country-specific research and interviews, followed by collaborative discussions on how the EU can effectively support these countries in mitigating risks. ➡️ In the afternoon, our focus shifts towards refining our foresight methodology, with a presentation that aims to strengthen our approach to anticipating future threats. We will also outline the next stages of the REUNIR project, setting the groundwork for continued cooperation. This workshop is an important step in gathering ideas that will help shape our plans to protect Europe's security as new challenges arise. Stay tuned for more updates about our special lecture by Prof. Dr. Ivanka Popovic about: "Eyes wide shut: How EU member states reject democracy in the Western Balkans in favour of geostrategy"! #Security #EU #Natolin #REUNIR #ExpertWorkshop #Foresight #ThreatAssessment #EuropeanSecurity #Collaboration #FutureChallenges #Research #PolicyPlanning #StrategicInsights #Innovation CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP) Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) Maastricht University University of Graz International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) Belgrade Centre for Security Policy School for Policy Analysis NaUKMA IPRE - Institutul pentru Politici și Reforme Europene College of Europe Université Sorbonne Nouvelle REDEMOS Horizon Europe Project Anna Osypchuk, Ph.D. Steven Blockmans Shagofah Ghafori Kornely Kakachia Dr. Tinatin Akhvlediani Mihai Mogildea Iulian Groza Gergana Noutcheva Anton Suslov

👮♂️👮♀ NEW POLICY BRIEF | "Gender-Sensitive Capacity-Building for Ukraine’s Civilian Security Sector" Ukraine's police and emergency services play a crucial role in the country's defense against Russia's aggression. Amid wartime conditions, they provide vital community services and care for people in danger. In the last brief from our #FFPinUkraine series, Hanna Hrytsenko argues that efforts to strengthen the capacity of #Ukraine's National Police and State Emergency Service not only bolster the country's resilience – they are also an opportunity to advance gender equality and inclusion in the civilian security sector, both within institutions and in their interactions with the communities they serve. Her recommendations: ◾ Improve the material and working conditions for male, female and queer employees of civilian security services; ◾ Provide adequate care for their mental health; ◾ Train police and emergency service employees in professional non-discrimination skills and soft skills; ◾ Strengthen civil society's role as the main partner and driver of change in the civil security sector. ➡ To read the full brief, visit: https://lnkd.in/dYXdMvjX

🌏 NEW POLICY BRIEF | “After the UN Summit of the Future: Lessons for Enhancing Civil Society Participation in Global Governance” Civil society was supposed to play a crucial role in shaping the recent UN #SummitOfTheFuture. Did reality match these promises? No, argue Ines M. Pousadela and colleagues from CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation in a new #ENSURED policy brief. Taking stock of the four-year process that led to the Summit as well as its results, they conclude that the Summit turned into a mostly frustrating experience for civil society. Not only do the outcome documents not adequately reflect the contributions and demands CSOs made in the run-up to the gathering – they also don’t offer clear entry points for further advocacy on behalf of civil society and citizens around the world. In light of this disappointing outcome, the EU and its member states should do more to champion CSO priorities and enhance civil society’s participation in global governance. And there is no shortage of ideas the EU could support, such as: 🔹 The appointment of a UN civil society envoy, who could promote civil society participation across the UN system; 🔹 A World Citizens’ Initiative to allow people to mobilise to collect signatures to put an issue on the UN agenda; 🔹 The creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly to complement the General Assembly and give a voice to citizens in addition to governments; 🔹 A more open, transparent, inclusive, and merit-based selection process for the next UN Secretary-General. To learn more, visit: https://lnkd.in/dGmzgcmr

I am in Bangalore this week, where Rudra Chaudhuri and his team at Carnegie India have kindly invited me to participate in the Global Technology Summit Innovation Dialogue. Day 1 was already extremely rich, with a focus on "Digital Public Infrastructure" (i.e. digital identities, payment systems and other basic building blocks of digital services). Refreshing to mostly concentrate on the benefits to be obtained from a collaborative approach to tech for a change, with excellent inputs from Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, former chief architect of India's digital ID system 'Aadhaar' Pramod Varma, and participants from across the globe. Being German, I was asked several times how it can be that government ministers Wissing and Baerbock publicly testify to how amazed they are by basic digital services being offered in India, without this seemingly creating much of a political impetus to finally get these things in order at home - indeed, alarming how much of the country seems to have resigned itself to just not being good at this kind of innovation, while the rest of the world pushes ahead. At least good to know that the European Digital Identity Framework is finally moving towards implementation. https://lnkd.in/ee3uJrWh On a personal note, it was rewarding to reflect on the intersection of my current work on critical and emerging technologies at the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) and past efforts on digital identities and government digitization - hat tip to Axel Domeyer, Reinhard Höll, Anna Lena K., Teresa Bayer and the many other good people from and with whom I learned so much on the latter topics. Excited for the next two days, which will focus on global collaboration on DPI and AI.