Germany's policy in Afghanistan and coordination efforts in NATO from 2001 to the present

This project will examine Germany's policy in Afghanistan since 2001, its evolution over time, and its main drivers. Specifically, the study will focus on the nature and motivation of policy formulation in Germany, and Berlin's efforts at coordinating pol icy with its transatlantic allies. Which international and domestic factors have determined Germany's Afghanistan policy? To what extent has it implemented a "whole-of-government" approach and aligned its actions with its American and European partners? T his study will analyze three factors which may have driven policy formulation in Germany: (1) the strategic environment in Afghanistan; (2) domestic factors (public opinion, legal constraints, and historical legacies); (3) third-party relations (mainly to alliance partners). A better understanding of the mechanisms of national policy formulation will help to identify enabling factors for a unified transatlantic policy in Afghanistan and other post-conflict societies. This will reduce the risk of donors wo rking at cross-purposes and increase the international capacity for delivery of essential conflict resolution and peace-building measures. It could also reduce the costs of engagement in a time of strained national budgets across Europe and the US. This p roject will be part of the larger study: "Intra-alliance Analysis: Policies and Approaches of NATO Allies in Afghanistan," jointly conducted by the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). PRIO has offered to host the author for a six-month-period from July to December 2011. During his stay, the author will publish his research as part of the CMI/PRIO project. The overall findings of the CMI/PRIO project will also be presented to a broader audience at seminars in Oslo, Kabul and Washington, DC.