Location: Berlin, Germany
Date: 19 May, 2005
Hosted by: Deutsches Institut fur Internationale Politik und Sicherheit

Context: "The failure and collapse of statehood has become a key peace and development policy issue at the start of the 21st century. The events of 11 September 2001 prompted the alarming but banal recognition that state failure threatens the security, welfare and liberty of Western societies too?through international terrorism which uses fragile states as safe havens and operational bases, through localand regional civil wars, cross-border crime, humanitarian disasters, massive refugee flows, or the uncontrolled proliferation of all types of weapons.

The counter- and defence measures adopted by the Western states aim to protect their liberal order. At the same time, overreactions are undermining the foundations of their rule of-law and democratic principles, as is evident in the case of anti-terrorism measures or refugee policy. And yet this threat analysis by the Western industrialised states?documented, not least, in the security strategies produced by the USA (2002) and the European Union (2003)?does not do justice to the problem, for it gives far too little consideration to the practical implications of failed statehood in the affected country or to the local population?s needs."

Papers

Ulrich Schneckener		Opening Remarks
Tom Body		L20 Communiqué on Failing States
Catherine Day		Communique on Fragile and Failing States, Instability and Insecurity
Paul LaRose-Edwards		L20 Communiqué on Fragile States
James Putzel		L20 Leaders Meeting on Failing States: An Agenda for Action

Backgrounders

Tobias Debiel, Stephan Klingbiel, Andreas Mehler and Ulrich Schneckener

Between Ignorance and Intervention: Strategies and Dilemmas of External Actors in Fragile States