Germany’s role in today’s global order

The harsh reality of the past year has created unprecedented challenges for Germany and its foreign policy.

The crisis in Ukraine spiralled out of control, with Russia’s annexation of Crimea, followed by military escalation in the eastern Donbas region, calling into question the post-1945 European order.

And, though the measures agreed in Minsk earlier this month offer an opportunity to enter into a political process, other crises — for example, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the advance of ISIS — have presented new, urgent challenges.

Whether Germany should assume greater responsibility for seeking to resolve such issues is a hotly debated question. During a year-long “Review 2014,” experts and the wider public tried to define Germany’s role in the world. In some areas, we have been successful over the past year; in others, we can, and want to do better.

Germany is widely appreciated for its commitment to peaceful conflict resolution, the rule of law, and a sustainable economic model. Yet our partners expect a more active — and even more robust — German foreign policy in the future.

So it is up to Germany’s people to answer the difficult questions: Where do our interests lie? How far do our responsibilities extend? What, in short, is the “DNA” of German foreign policy?

We must face the fact that globalisation has made crises the rule, not the exception. Though globalisation and digitisation are driving rapid economic growth, they are also putting pressure on governments to meet rising expectations — even as they constrain in unprecedented ways governments’ ability to act.

DAMAGE CONTROL

In confronting crises, German foreign policy must strengthen its focus on reconciliation, mediation, and prevention — or risk being left with no other option but damage control.

We want to act sooner, more decisively, and in a more substantial manner — not just when crises become acute, but also by focusing on conflict prevention and post-conflict management. This requires that we hone our early-warning mechanisms and enhance our international cooperation.

And, because Germany is connected to the rest of the world like few other countries, a commitment to a just, peaceful, and resilient international order is a fundamental interest of our foreign policy.

That means adjusting to the long-term changes in the existing order’s parameters – changes that have been wrought, above all, by China’s rapid rise. We must think more deeply about ways to safeguard valuable public goods: the seas, space, and the Internet.

Then there is Europe, which remains the foundation of Germany’s foreign policy. But here, too, new challenges require new answers. We must prevent a strategic dilemma in which Germany felt forced to decide between its competitiveness in a globalised world and European integration.

Europe should benefit from Germany’s strength, just as we benefit from Europe’s. As Europe’s largest economy, we must invest in integration.

In very different ways, the US, Russia, and China are offering Germany a privileged relationship. But when it comes to shaping global development, Germany is capable of acting effectively only within a solid European framework.

Our foreign policy must retain its hopefulness and ability to act responsibly. But Germany’s global inter-connectedness, which has long been vital for our prosperity and security, does not allow us to pretend that we are either an island or a world historical force. Germany has much to offer to the world, and we will do so with self-confidence and humility.

Mr Steinmeier is Germany’s foreign minister. (Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2015. www.project-syndicate.org)