THE world is in the midst of a process of rapid change. Political talk is today dominated by the challenge of globalization, climate change and conflicts. It is here that the foreign policy of a responsible country can play a substantial role in making an impact for the better. “And, it is here that Germany plays its significant part in streamlining things of global importance,” said German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Steinmeier said that the role of impacting global politics is so important that an international opinion poll gave Germany the highest rating pushing down many other countries in the reckoning.
The last two years in particular have been quite encouraging for Germany as far as its global image is concerned. During the FIFA World Cup in 2006, in particular, Germany showed itself as a hospitable country that really lived up to the slogan “A Time to Make Friends,” he added.
That raised Germany’s popularity rating. In 2007, Germany took over the EU presidency and also chaired the G-8. It launched a number of initiatives in these functions and achieved some progress. The German foreign policy had a lot of global media coverage during these presidencies. Aware of the changing times, the emergence of new powers and new challenges like climate change, scarce resources, terrorism, a multipolar world order, Germany takes things in its own strides.
It does not believe in high-worded rhetoric. It addresses the issues head on. Take Palestine, for instance. Germany is engaged in a comprehensive political solution based on a two-state solution. It has worked hard to revive the Middle East Quartet and to incorporate the countries of the region into international efforts. That eventually led to the re-launching of talks, resulting in the Annapolis conference. “I can see a role for Germany and Europe in giving appropriate support to the political process that began in Annapolis,” said the German foreign minister.
“That is the main objective of our common EU Action Strategy,” said Steinmeier. And when Germany talks of negotiation, it talks of moderation. It talks of economic reconstruction and supporting the police and judiciary in Palestinian territory, he noted.
Germany wants there to be court buildings, police vehicles and workshops in Palestine, he said.
Speaking about the initiative “Future for Palestine,” Steinmeier said, “We are promoting specific projects which can be implemented quickly in the Palestinian territories — projects we hope can tangibly improve living conditions now.”
By staging the major Palestine Security Conference in Berlin, Germany has given a clear signal that European countries wish to play a leading role in building the Palestinian police and judiciary. After the founding of the federal republic, German foreign policy rested on a number of pillars, which are still relevant today, like assimilation and integration in Europe, transAtlantic relations and collective security. Its advocacy of democracy, the rule of law and human rights is also part of the German foreign policy, as is its support for states and regions where people are threatened by violence, natural disasters or poverty. The country is ready with its own version of modern foreign policy to face the challenges of the 21st century. “Our aim must be to actively participate in structuring today’s world. That means anticipating geopolitical developments and drafting corresponding plans of action,” said Steinmeier.
“Today, we must formulate policies under the conditions of globalization; unstable situations in other regions have a direct effect on us. What happens in Georgia or Afghanistan has an impact on Germany’s security. The troop deployments abroad can be necessary to protect not only international security, but also our own.”
Global security and stability are so important to Germany that it stands as a solid rock with its partners in worldwide missions to promote them. It supports the policy of detente. The country is quite vocal about a united Europe, which it thinks can play an important role in the world.
Besides, Germany considers climate protection, a secure energy supply, security in a multipolar world, disarmament and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction as major challenges in the future. It considers Afghanistan as a major test for the world community. “It’s a devastated nation and giving a future to them is a challenge,” said the German foreign minister. “We must do everything possible to make it succeed in the interests of our own security,” he noted. He warned against any prophesies of doom and bloom. He further asserted that there was progress in the war-torn country. “Over 13,000 km of new roads and 3,500 schools have been built since the overthrow of the Taleban,” he said, adding that 30,000 teachers have been trained. Eighty percent of the population once again has basic medical care at their disposal. Development projects have been carried out in 32,000 Afghan villages.
Germany follows what Willy Brandt, the former chancellor of Germany and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, said: “Peace cannot endure where there is hunger.” It understands that the fight against hunger and the promotion of economic development as stabilizing factors are part of crisis prevention. And, to prevent crises, it emphasizes the structural causes of conflict. This also involves combating hunger and poverty, and promoting economic development.
According to the minister, the lack of future prospects and an unequal distribution of wealth exacerbate the risk that conflicts would lead to violence. Conversely, he said that crises and acute conflicts deprive people of their livelihoods and cause even more hunger and poverty. That is why the prevention of violent conflicts worldwide remains a key concern for German foreign policy. The federal republic is convinced that sustainable crisis prevention can only succeed if a comprehensive approach is chosen, an approach that includes all fields of politics from foreign and security policy, as also economic, environmental and development policy.
Considering that security and development are closely linked, the federal government is committed to promoting economic development as a way of preventing crises and making peace. It is also a matter of structuring globalization in such a way that existing inequalities are not further reinforced — this, too, is an important prerequisite for economic and social development.
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in autumn 2000, the world’s nations, including Germany, declared their goal of halving the percentage of people who live in extreme poverty by 2015. On a national level, Germany has adopted the “Action Program 2015” for this reason and is working hard on its implementation, said the foreign minister, adding that Germany has always been a strong proponent of the rule of law and democracy.
“If there are any indications that the principles of the rule of law and democracy are under threat, we address the issue and try to encourage remedial action. We do this bilaterally or within the framework of the EU and the United Nations, but always in close coordination with our European and international partners. We have developed a wide range of instruments for this purpose.”
And Germany means it. It has taken up dialogue on human rights and the rule of law bilaterally and at the European level with countries like China, Russia and many others. “The Rule-of-Law Initiative Germany helped launch during its G-8 presidency. For sustainable human rights, Germany advises patience and persistence, and the identifying of deficiencies before these rights are assured. Engagement for democracy and human rights are among Germany’s core values,” he said.
The importance of Germany as an important global player can be seen in the light of the role it plays in the United Nations. It is the UN’s third-largest financial contributor, and is the seat of numerous UN secretariats and institutions.
Germany strongly advocates reforms in the Security Council. It has, together with Brazil, India and Japan, submitted in 2005 proposals in this regard.
It is currently debating so-called “interim solutions” — a reform that would only apply for a limited period of time and would be followed by an obligatory review conference.
“We are open and flexible as regards to these ideas and are actively participating in the ongoing discussions,” said the foreign minister, who is on a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia.
“First, we want a real structural reform of the Security Council that reflects the world as it is today,” explained Steinmeier. And second, the proposal must be formulated in such a way that would allow it to win the necessary two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, he added.
