Group photo with the course participants
Strategic Planning Processes for Civilian Missions Course, 11-15 July 2022, Brussels
The European Security and Defence College (ESDC) had the honour of co-organising a course on Strategic Planning Processes for Civilian Missions, together with the Austrian MFA, the Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management, the Folke Bernadotte Academy and the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution.
The course was held online on 7 and 8 July and in person, in Brussels, from 11 to 15 July 2022. It was a great success, with active participation and excellent outcomes. The aim of the course was to provide participants with knowledge and skills in relation to strategic planning for civilian CSDP missions, with a focus on EU capabilities as part of the Integrated Approach. The course focused on the specific challenges that strategic planners are confronted with in the context of civilian crisis management, taking into account the Civilian CSDP Compact and the newly adopted Strategic Compass. The course used a learner-centred perspective and trained participants to translate political vision and strategic guidance into a conceptual application of mission planning in a laboratory setting.
The first two days of the course were held online and focused on setting the scene by presenting the European Global Strategy, the EU Strategic Compass and the Integrated Approach to conflicts and crisis, alongside important topics such as non-CSDP instruments in external relations, the civilian CSDP compact and the crisis management procedures.
The second part of the course was held in person and lasted an entire week.
The first day of the residential course was centred on conflict analysis and conflict mapping relating to a fictitious scenario. The second day focused on strategic vs operational planning, lessons from previous civilian CSDP missions, crosscutting issues, civilian military coordination and working with non-CSDP actors. The remaining three days were dedicated to a simulation exercise which involved drafting the key elements of a Crisis Management Concept (CMC) for civilian action.
We would like to thank all the keynote speakers for their excellent contributions and input, and for the very high quality of their speeches and lectures.
The content of the presentations and the extremely relevant topics triggered thought-provoking and rewarding discussions between the participants and the experts.
We would also like to thank all the course participants for their confidence in the ESDC, and we will do our utmost to continue providing high-quality training.
