News

For the 12th time now, the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Ministry of Defence, together with ZIF, have honoured their personnel in international crisis management missions and peace operations. On 3 June, the MoI invited three civilian experts, three police officers and three soldiers of the Bundeswehr to the Konzerthaus at Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt to receive awards on behalf of around 1,200 Germans in multilateral missions and institutions.

The ZIF Annual Report 2024 is now online. It provides compact and entertaining information about our priorities and activities of the past year - and how we contribute to Germany's foreign policy. We also provide background information and classification on the key challenges we face. In infographics, we have prepared impressive figures from the field of peace and security worldwide, accompanied by images from missions and real-life examples.

In the run-up to the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin in mid-May, more than 60 experts deliver political recommendations for the future of peace operations, compiled and published by the Global Alliance for Peace Operations, which ZIF co-founded.

We are excited to announce the launch of the Global Alliance for Peace Operations – a collective endeavour of more than 50 leading think tanks, research institutes and civil society organizations working on UN and regional approaches to peace operations.

At the beginning of April, ZIF was part of a larger German delegation in Brussels to exchange ideas with EU member states as part of the Civilian CSDP Compact.

Together with Diplomacy by Networking and the International Diplomatic Academy of the Federal Foreign Office, ZIF hosted a high-level ZIF Xchange to discuss the challenges and opportunities of peace mediation in a changing geopolitical landscape. 

We introduced and discussed our new handbook Masculinities, Conflict and Peacebuilding in a virtual launch on March 13. The editors and authors examine the role of masculinities in conflicts and peace processes. During the discussion with international experts, including seconded personnel, it became clear that peace processes can only be successful and sustainably effective if they take concepts of masculinity into account.

Together with SIPRI, ZIF designed one of the official side events of MSC 2025 - on “Bypassing Geopolitical Blockages: How to Regionalize Crisis Management”. ZIF experts also took on moderation roles in the MSC's ongoing programme. The current ZIF study ‘5 Trends for Peace Operations’ was also included in the MSC report.

ZIF recently hosted two ZIF XChange Space formats, bringing together practictioners, researchers and decision-makers on international crisis management. Central topics this time were the political situation in the Middle East and the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

The successful cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme continues - ZIF continues to provide civilian experts for UNDP in conflict areas as part of Germany’s contribution to international development.

ZIF Executive Director Astrid Irrgang and Annika Hansen, Deputy Head of Policy, Partnerships & Innovation, met partners in New York to strengthen key partnerships and networks. It is part of ZIF's contribution to enhance the future of peace operations and bring forward the implementation of the Pact for the Future.

Until February 28, interested candidates can apply for our personnel pool for peace operations. 

Together with partner organisations, ZIF was responsible for a three-day learning unit on peace meditation in the training of prospective German diplomats.

Together with SIPRI, we are once again organising a side event for MSC 2025 in February. Topic: the role of regional organisations in crisis management.

ZIF, PCAsia, and the ASEAN IPR are strengthening their partnership to promote peace in the region, with a focus on negotiation, mediation, and reconciliation.

November 28 and 29, ZIF organised a seminar on “Women, Peace, and Security” in Phnom Penh in cooperation with PC Asia under the auspices of the Cambodian Parliamentary Committee for Women.

ZIF together with the ESDC and the Federal Police Academy held an in-mission training in Pristina from 3 to 6 December 2024.

The new edition of our world map of peace operations offers a clear overview, up-to-date information and figures on missions worldwide.

On 3 and 4 December, over 100 international stakeholders came together in Berlin to discuss and deliberate on the future of peace operations.

From 21-22 November, high-level ASEAN representatives gathered in Jakarta to explore strategies for peace facilitation and dialogue in a collaborative seminar with ZIF.