About the Peace Report
The Peace Report is the joint yearbook of the German Institutes of Peace and Conflict Research (BICC / PRIF / IFSH / INEF). It has been published annually since 1987. Researchers from various disciplines investigate the realities of conflicts in various countries around the world. Their analyses are the basis for the Editors’ Statement, which summarizes and assesses the results and formulates policy recommendations for peace and security policy in Germany and Europe.
Please find more information at friedensgutachten.de
Peace Report 2020 \ In the Shadow of the Pandemic: Europe’s Last Chance
Berlin, 16 June 2020. The leading German peace research institutes presented the Peace Report at the Federal Press Conference in Berlin. They call upon the Federal government to increase its commitment to cooperative solutions in the EU and across the globe, not only in the fight against the virus. They also urge that despite the pandemic, other important issues must not be overlooked. These include climate change, the danger of a cyberweapons build-up, rivalries between the superpowers and the dramatic situation of refugees and civilians in armed conflicts. However, as recent events following the death of George Floyd in the United States have shown, even peace within society itself is in danger. Cross-border issues are the commitment to human rights, handling mass protest movement constructively and the fight against politically and religiously motivated agitation on the Internet.
Key recommendations of the Peace Report 2020 in English (pdf)
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic is keeping the world in suspense. It is consuming vast quantities of resources and has led to sweeping political interventions in the life of societies. Especially in fragile regions of the world, there is a danger of socio-economic turmoil and political unrest. At the same time, other risks to peace continue to exist: climate change, the restriction of civil rights, an impending arms race in cyberspace, the rivalries between the major powers and the increase in right-wing violence. It is precisely in the face of the crisis that international cooperation is needed to secure peace - and a proactive EU to drive this cooperation forward, both within Europe and globally.
Against this background, the Friedensgutachten 2020 ("Peace Report 2020") analyses current violent conflicts, identifies trends in international foreign, security and development policy, and provides policy recommendations.