Read more about the article Cyberwarfare and International Humanitarian Law: ICRC Launches Global Advisory Board on Digital Threats during Armed Conflict
Cyber, Kai Stachowiak, 2014 (Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cyber.jpg)

Cyberwarfare and International Humanitarian Law: ICRC Launches Global Advisory Board on Digital Threats during Armed Conflict

Due to rapid technological developments, warfare has been and is changing. From a humanitarian perspective, new technologies bring both opportunities and challenges. Indeed, new technologies might offer better protection of civilians during armed conflict, but they can also pose new threats to both civilians and armed forces (ICRC Position Paper, 2019, 3-4). At the same time, new technologies often challenge the application and implementation of state-centred international humanitarian law (IHL) (ICRC, 2021).

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Read more about the article Interoperability is Vital to Combat Violent Non-State Actors
ISAF’s military terminal at Kabul International Airport in September 2010 © DOD [Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Military_terminal_at_Kabul_International_Airport.jpg]

Interoperability is Vital to Combat Violent Non-State Actors

The 21st century has seen the rise of “new wars” in which violent non-state actors (VNSAs) employ tactical means of asymmetric warfare and facilitate digital technologies for their purposes. To secure their population and stabilise the liberal international order, nation-states must deepen their cooperation and increase interoperability in strategy, operational approach, and information-sharing.

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Read more about the article The End of the Operation Barkhane, New Perspectives on the Territory
French soldiers during the Operation Barkhane (Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opération_Barkhane.jpg)

The End of the Operation Barkhane, New Perspectives on the Territory

On 10 June, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the withdrawal of the French forces from the Sahel region. Operation Barkhane started back in August 2014 after Operation Serval, which was deployed to support the Malian government in 2013. Operation Barkhane was based on the partnership between France and the countries of the Sahel G5, namely Burkina-Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, to address the rising presence of Islamist terrorism in the territory. The main strategy was to give the possibility and the means to the Sahel G5 countries to develop both national and regional strategies to fight terrorism autonomously (Ministère des Armées, 2019). The French approach was based not only on security in a strict way but also on politics and development in a broader sense.

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Read more about the article EU in Talks to Develop First Entry Force
Belgian soldier during Rampant Lion, EU Battlegroup 2014 II exercise in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Markus Rauchenberger, February 26, 2014 (Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belgian_soldier_during_Rampant_Lion,_EU_Battlegroup_2014_II_exercise_in_Grafenwoehr,_Germany.jpg)

EU in Talks to Develop First Entry Force

This year, the EU has faced many unforeseeable threats which have caused member states to reinforce their defence and security policies as well as the EU’s own defence systems. In turn, fourteen countries (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain) have joined together to propose a rapid military response team called First Entry Force. This proposal has been debated in the first in-person meeting of the year, by EU defence ministers (“EU moots creation”, 2021). Notably, the military response force would aid in de-escalating or preventing conflict in foreign democratic nations. The military team would also aid in tackling the EU’s gap of capabilities in early action. Indeed, the European Union Global Strategy has claimed that early warning holds no advantage if there is no early action (Shared vision, common action, 2017).

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Read more about the article Eurotank is on its Way
The Franco-German joint venture KNDS displayed its new European Main Battle Tank at the June 2018 Eurosatory exhibit in Paris. [https://www.armytimes.com/resizer/7DnF2X2HKanY5TK19SVJODpm0pA=/1200x0/filters:quality(100)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mco/G7QXPXVEV5HPRA4YFUUQVZVAWI.jpg]

Eurotank is on its Way

The benefits of a new Eurotank would be of great importance for the interoperability of European armies. A tank created by France and Germany (MGCS) would allow each involved to use it in joint operations.

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