Global Public Policy Institute
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17 July 2008
GPPi publishes research paper on “10 Years of SHIRBRIG”
Established a decade ago, the Multinational Standby High Readiness Brigade for United Nations Operations, or SHIRBRIG, continues its work of providing the United Nations with a rapidly deployable peacekeeping force. Cognizant of SHIRBRIG’s successes, external and internal limitation and challenges, GPPi has published a new research paper entitled “Ten Years of SHIRBRIG: Lessons Learned, Development Prospects and Strategic Opportunities for Germany.” The paper was written by Johannes Varwick and Joachim Koops, University of Kiel. It assesses SHIRBRIG’s past, present, and future achievements, limitations and value from a distinctly German perspective.
Consisting of five main sections, the report opens with an overview of SHIRBRIG’s origins, its membership and relevant background information pertinent to its experiences in the last ten years. The report then follows with sections exploring SHIRBRIG’s main missions and lessons learned; its inherent limitations, challenges and institutional rivalries; its core contributions, comparative advantage and potential future role; and concludes by presenting the implications and options for Germany.
Alongside illustrating the main findings and lessons learned, the authors also put forth three overarching recommendations. First, Germany should consider the possibility of joining the SHIRBRIG, demonstrating the country’s will to support ‘UN-centered Effective Multilateralism;’ second, German and SHIRBRIG officials should explore Germany’s potential for formal/informal participation and cooperation options; and finally, Germany should lobby for more EU attention to be given to SHIRBRIG.
This report is part of a larger research project entitled, “10 Years of SHIRBRIG: Past Lessons and Future Potentials of the Standby High Readiness Brigade for UN Operations,” at the University of Kiel.
To read the SHIRBRIG report please click here.
For more information please contact Johannes Varwick post@johannes-varwick.de